Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones faces an uncertain stretch after aggravating a lingering left-knee issue during the team’s 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
The win pushed the Vikings to 6-0, but the cost arrived late in the fourth quarter when Jones absorbed contact on a 17-yard gain and left the field for good.
Jones has carried an elevated workload since Jordan Mason suffered a thumb injury in Week 1 and landed on injured reserve.
The veteran back responded with several productive outings, including multiple 100-yard efforts, even while managing a sprained MCL that dated to the Week 2 contest against the Chicago Bears.
He had previously dealt with similar sprains earlier in his career and been unable to play through them; this season he managed to suit up and produce despite the discomfort.
Against the Colts, however, the same knee absorbed another blow that left him visibly limited. Coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed afterward that Jones had aggravated the earlier injury.
According to a report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Jones is scheduled for an MRI on the knee this week.
Team officials currently hope the setback will not sideline him for an extended period, yet any additional structural damage could force Minnesota to lean more heavily on Mason, who returned Sunday and posted 15 carries for 68 yards.
The timing adds pressure: the NFL trade deadline is roughly two weeks away, and the Vikings were already viewed as a club interested in bolstering their backfield depth.
That interest has included Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, who rushed 18 times for 95 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s loss.
Ownership is said to value him highly, and the Colts would likely need to lose more games before seriously considering offers.
Should that posture change, the Vikings are among the clubs believed to be potential suitors, though any deal would probably require at least a Day 2 draft pick as Indianapolis looks to recoup capital after prior trades.
For now the Vikings will wait on imaging results before determining how much of the rushing load Mason must absorb in the coming weeks.
With a challenging stretch ahead that includes trips to Detroit and Green Bay plus a Monday-night home date against Buffalo, the outcome of Jones’s MRI could shape both the immediate rotation and Minnesota’s approach to the deadline.
