In Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season, the Vikings lost 22-6 to the Falcons. Minnesota came out of that loss with injuries to its top offensive players. One of them was starting QB J.J. McCarthy.
The other major loss for the Vikings after Week 2 was RB Aaron Jones. He suffered a hamstring injury and has landed on the IR for Minnesota. Backup RB Jordan Mason will now start for the Vikings while Jones misses time. Additionally, NFL insiders announced the team has signed free agent RB Cam Akers. It’s his third stint in three years with the Vikings.
Aaron Jones will miss at least the next four games for the Minnesota Vikings
Source: Vikings placed RB Aaron Jones on injured reserve due to his hamstring injury. He’s now out a minimum of four weeks. pic.twitter.com/mxwal8uMSU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2025
Minnesota’s offense took a massive blow after its Week 2 loss to the Falcons. Starting QB J.J. McCarthy is out 2-4 weeks with an ankle sprain. On top of that, starting RB Aaron Jones suffered a hamstring injury and has been placed on the IR. Not ideal at this point in the season. The team has a capable backup RB in Jordan Mason. He proved that in 2024 when he was with the 49ers.
Christian McCaffrey missed a majority of the season for San Francisco. This allowed Jordan Mason to play in 12 games and made six starts for the 49ers. He had 153 carries for 789 yards and three rushing touchdowns. On top of that, he added 11 catches for 91 yards. Through two games in 2025, Jordan Mason leads the Vikings with 24 carries for 98 rushing yards. J.J. McCarthy has the only rushing touchdown through two weeks.
With Aaron Jones suffering a hamstring injury, free-agent RB Cam Akers is expected to re-sign with the Vikings.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2025
In six starts with the 49ers last season, Jordan Mason proved he can be a workhorse RB. He averaged at least 17 rushing attempts in his six starts, including a high of 28 in Week 1. That happened to be his most productive game of the season with 147 rushing yards and a touchdown. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell hopes Jordan Mason can bring that same spark as a starter for Minnesota.
With Aaron Jones out at least four weeks, the Vikings are expected to re-sign RB Cam Akers. He was a second-round pick by the Rams in the 2020 draft out of Florida State. Since 2023, Akers has signed with Minnesota in three different stints. In 2024, Akers played in 12 games for the Vikings. He carried the ball 64 times for 297 rushing yards and a touchdown. While the Vikings have viable options at RB while Jones is out. The same cannot be said for QB. Carson Wentz will start for Minnesota in Week 3 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.
