The Minnesota Vikings are evaluating running back Aaron Jones due to a knee injury.
That puts a spotlight on backups Demond Claiborne and DeeJay Dallas that head coach Kevin O’Connell made exponentially brighter with his remarks on the situation.
O’Connell named Jones as one of several Vikings players who would not practice on Wednesday. The coach did say that the veteran still has a chance to play in Week 3. The Vikings are facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
O’Connell put the onus on a pair of backs that figure to pick up the slack for the Vikings.
That is, if Jones joins fellow RB Jordan Mason as a non-participant in their next game and efforts to move to 3-0 on the 2026 season.
“We feel good about DeeJay [Dallas] and getting Demond [Claiborne] continued work as part of his plan, just getting him as comfortable as possible for all the different aspects of it,” O’Connell told reporters on September 23. “Obviously we have two players on our practice squad (Jaret Patterson and Jerome Ford), and can use an elevation if we need to.”
O’Connell noted that they have been fortunate to be able to add players the like to that group in recent weeks. Injuries have set in, affirming that stance.
Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell Name-Drops Adrian Peterson While Praising Aaron Jones
Before putting a spotlight on Dallas and Claiborne, O’Connell praised Jones’ toughness, name-dropping Vikings legend Adrian Peterson when asked if the current RB1 was as tough as they come that he has been around.
“Just the way he showed up every single day, you could just book it, handing him the ball 25 times. And he was going to get stronger as the game went on, even at that point in his career, so I can only imagine what he was like when he was here,” O’Connell said. “But Aaron is one of one. He’s one of one as far as toughness. He’s a really good football player and just as good as it gets from a leadership and, kind of, establishing the standard of what we want Minnesota Vikings players to look like.
“I know he’s going to do everything in his power to try to make it this week. Hopefully we’ll have him out there on Sunday.”
Claiborne is a rookie sixth-round draft pick with 1 catch for 2 yards and 0 carries.
Dallas is a veteran who has a 126-546-4 line as a runner and 66-420-2 as a pass-catcher. Ford has a 340-1,463-7 as a runner and 107-647-5 as a receiver. Meanwhile, Patterson has 503 yards and 3 TDs on 126 carries with 81 yards on 13 grabs.
All of the Vikings’ backs also contribute on special teams. So, they do not have to pick and choose in that regard, which is one less concern on O’Connell’s plate.
Minnesota Vikings RB Room Gets Clear Notice Amid Aaron Jones Injury