Vikings Swing Deal for Young RB to Pair with Aaron Jones

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New Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason
Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Since the free agency window opened on March 10, the Minnesota Vikings have been busy. They’ve made changes to the offense, defense and special teams despite going 14-3 last season. Most of the moves have come in the trenches, with signings and cuts on the O-line and D-line.

With those out of the way, the Vikings have the cap room to add at skill positions. They were rumored to be interested in Cooper Kupp before he signed with the Seahawks. They still need another QB or two (Aaron Rodgers?) on the roster, but in the meantime, they gave Aaron Jones some help in the backfield.

New Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason

Minnesota Vikings trade for Jordan Mason

The Vikings acquired Jordan Mason from the 49ers on Saturday night, sending a 2026 sixth round pick in return. They also swapped this year’s picks, moving down to pick No. 187 while sending San Francisco No. 160. Kwesi and co. traded Ed Ingram for a sixth round pick earlier this week, so they basically flipped Ingram for Mason.

The Vikings extended Mason upon acquiring him, signing him to a two-year deal worth up to $12 million with $7 million guaranteed. The 49ers gave Mason a $5.3 million second-round tender, so all signs pointed to him backing up Christian McCaffrey for another year. Instead, the Vikings pick up a solid backup for Jones, who they just re-signed to a two-year extension.

Jordan Mason has been in the league since 2022, joining the Niners as an undrafted free agent. He broke out last season while McCaffrey was down with an Achilles injury, starting the year as the lead running back. The 25-year-old got his first career start in Week 1 and capitalized, running for 147 yards and a touchdown. He followed that up with another 100-yard performance a week later (against the Minnesota Vikings) and then another in Week 4.

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While he made the most of his opportunities, injuries and CMC’s return slowed Mason’s career season. He suffered an AC joint sprain in his shoulder in Week 6 and re-aggravated it in Week 8. His usage went down after this, as McCaffrey was back and the 49ers did not want to risk more injuries to their backfield. Mason’s season ended after suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 13, placing him on IR.

Before last year, Mason was used sparingly as the Niners’ backup. Most of his work came on special teams, but he did average 6.0 and 5.2 yards per carry in 2022 and 2023, respectively. He rushed for over 2,000 yards in his four years at Georgia Tech.

How Jordan Mason fits into the fold

With the signing of Mason, the Minnesota Vikings now have him, Cam Akers and Ty Chandler to spell Aaron Jones. It seems like something Cam Akers could certainly be the odd man out here however. The 30-year-old Jones is coming off a year with career highs in carries (255) and snaps (700), so the Vikings figure to have plenty of options to give him rest. Mason’s injury history might be concerning, but adding him as a depth piece could be useful. He led the league in rushing yards for a portion of last season.

Related: Vikings Signing Very Familiar Free Agent Linebacker

The signings of Ryan Kelly and Will Fries also give Mason (and Jones) a bolstered offensive line to run behind. The Vikings weren’t the best when it came to running the ball, but with a young QB projected to start, an offensive shift may be in the works.

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