For nearly two decades, the Minnesota Vikings had a workhorse running back, capable of handling the full load of the position. Adrian Peterson, Dalvin Cook, and then Aaron Jones in 2024 were all one-man wrecking crews, but it’s clear that those days are a thing of the past — at least for now.
As it stands, the expectation is that Jones, Jordan Mason, and possibly a sprinkling of Demond Claiborne or Zavier Scott will share the running back duties in 2026. However, the way the Vikings split those roles is much more nebulous. Therefore, there may not be defined roles established by training camp, or even much later.
Kevin O’Connell and the Vikings likely have some idea as to how they want to employ their stable of backs. Still, the rushers’ strengths, and maybe more importantly their faults, may prove finding that ideal rotation difficult.
Mason led Minnesota’s backfield in carries last year thanks to Jones’s various injuries. His numbers have always looked impressive. He has a 5.1 career yards per carry and a staggering touchdown or first down on over a quarter of his rushes.
Despite these flashy metrics, the Vikings have never given him the keys as a bellcow for one, maybe two, good reasons. The first is that at 230 lbs., and unfortunately not boasting the nickname “King Henry,” Mason lacks explosiveness and the ability to make game-changing runs. On 159 carries in 2025, his long rush was just 24 yards, and Mason was 22nd in the league in explosive (10+ yards) carries according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
While five yards a cloud of dust can certainly move the chains at times, Minnesota’s lack of big plays on offense paled in comparison to the two teams who met in the Super Bowl. The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks ranked among the top five in explosive plays on offense last season, and both boasted top-three scoring offenses in the league. Conversely, the Vikings ranked in the bottom seven in both metrics.
Mason’s other major pitfall is his pass-blocking abilities. His 25.1 PFF grade was the second-worst among running backs with at least 50 pass-blocking attempts. It’s the reason that old man C.J. Ham registered 184 snaps in just 11 games. It’s also why the Vikings may be hesitant to increase Mason’s workload significantly.
Meanwhile, Jones is coming off his worst season as a pro, seeing career lows in yards per carry, touchdowns and more. He was actually cut by the team this spring, but rejoined after a brief vacation away. Jones will be 32 in December and is the second-oldest running back to see significant action, behind only Derrick Henry. So, which Aaron Jones will the Vikings get in 2026?
Jones’ yards per carry have dropped in four straight seasons. Despite his belief in himself, it’s clear Father Time is starting to gain an advantage. Injuries were a huge hamper to his production in 2025. Now that he’s fully healthy, there’s some possibility he can regain some of that 2024 form.
The Vikings guaranteed Jones $5 million this season, which isn’t nothing, so their expectations of him obviously remain high. Still, it’s hard to see how Jones strikes any fear into the hearts of opposing defenses this year.
Rookie Demond Claiborne is the wildcard in all this, whom the Vikings scooped up in the sixth round of the draft. He has 4.3 speed, but Ty Chandler was also speedy, and he left Minnesota with just 181 carries at 3.9 yards a pop after four seasons. People have also compared him to Jahmyr Gibbs. Still, Claiborne was available in the sixth round for a multitude of reasons.
Claiborne, like Mason, needs to show he can pass block. And like Jones, he needs to show that he can produce in the NFL. He probably enters training camp as RB3, or worse, and has to prove he’s more than just a track star in shoulder pads. But if the Gibbs or De’Von Achane comps ring true, Minnesota may have a hard time keeping him off the field.
Ultimately, this battle for touches may not be solved by the time September comes around. Still, the Vikings may be experimenting through the first few weeks of the season, especially if injuries come into play. While the Vikings have a three-headed monster on paper, it’s easy to see how a lot can go wrong with their individual imperfections.
There are a few things going for the Vikings rushers this year, though. One is that the offensive line will (hopefully) be much healthier than in 2025, when everyone except Will Fries missed time. The other is that, with the expected crowning of Kyler Murray as the starting quarterback, some RPO might open up the running lanes a bit for the trio of backs.
At this point, any one of the three running backs could end up leading the team in carries in 2026, and that’s either beautiful or a nightmare.
