Aaron Jones is running from the running back age curve

Jones detailed the efforts he's put into his body this offseason to remain healthy

photo courtesy Minnesota Vikings

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By Matthew Coller

EAGAN — It has always felt funny to talk to a 29-year-old man like he’s on the brink of being put into a nursing home. But that’s what it was like peppering Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones with questions about the vaunted running back age curve inside the locker room on Monday.

Not that Jones is offended. He fully understands the history of running backs at his age. In fact, he can name some of the runners who aged more gracefully off the top of his head.

“I think about Frank Gore, Emmitt Smith, some of these guys who played for a long time and even outside of the running back position like Mercedes Lewis, Joe Flacco, and how they’re able to play for so long,” Jones said. “I’ve talked to [Harrison Smith] about it and seen some of his stretching techniques and some of the things he does and get the knowledge about how to play that long.”

For those unfamiliar with the issue of running backs aging quickly, there have been dozens of studies across the last decade-plus in the NFL about when different positions start to decline in performance. No matter the sampling of players, the results are consistent: Age 29 is when the production slides. The most recent look was prior to last season by ESPN. They looked at the issue through a fantasy football lens. Writer Tristian H. Cockcroft wrote:

“Among those who debuted since 2000, running backs experienced a 25.2% decline in PPR points per game, and 37.0% in total PPR points scored, from their age-28 to age-29 seasons. Only 11 running backs have reached their age-28 and 29 seasons since 2010 and the group saw a 16.8% decline in PPR points per game going from ages 26 to 27, 8.4% decline going from 27 to 28 and a 15.3% decline going from 28 to 29.”

Of course, something happening broadly does not mean it is guaranteed to happen in a specific situation. Jones doesn’t have to decline just because the larger sample of running backs have fallen off at 29. Those RBs don’t have one of the highest yards per carry averages of all time, as Jones does.

There have been plenty of instances of running backs putting together strong seasons at 29 or older. Since 2014, the NFL has seen 17 individual seasons in which a running back age 29 or older went for 750 or more yards and averaged more than 4.2 (league average last year) yards per carry. The names of the players who accomplished such a feat fly in the same air as Jones. Adrian Peterson (three times), Derrick Henry (last year), Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch, Mark Ingram, DeAngelo Williams and old friend Latavius Murray.

The most recent sample size of play from Jones would leave the impression that he should be able to join the group of outliers. In his final five games with the Packers, Jones gained 584 yards on 102 carries, including a three-touchdown playoff game against the Packers.

“I was able to get healthy,” Jones said.

Prior to his outburst to end his tenure in Green Bay, the veteran RB missed six games with injury and was limited to 10 or fewer carries in five other games.

“All season I had been fighting injury, whether it was my [hamstring] or coming back from the knee,” he said. “The last five… it was the best I had felt since Week 1 and I think it showed out there.”

“I was able to show what I can really do.”

Jones understood going into this year that if he was going to make the list of successful geriatric RBs, it was going to take a lot of work. As soon as he signed with the Vikings, he requested that the training staff put together a plan for him. They were ahead of him on that.

“I wanted to do some pre-hab prevention and they were like, ‘We were already thinking about that, we already have a card written up for you,” Jones said. “You just tell us the body part and we got you. They really do and I notice a difference from the first time I did it and times I don’t do it and go out there. I’m ready, I’m tuned up and ready to go.”

Around 30-45 minutes before the Vikings practice, Jones goes in for his pre-practice preparation doing warm-ups and stretching before they do warm-ups as a team.

The concept of pre-hab was raised to Jones this offseason when he was working out in Florida at a facility called Bommarito.

“We don’t want to get to rehab, so it’s focusing on what body parts aren’t feeling as great as the other ones or if I had an injury from the past season and pre-habbing it to make it stronger and making it even,” he explained.

After practice he does even stretching exercises to make sure that he is recovering the right way.

The coaching staff was also careful with how much they pushed Jones in camp. He took a number of veteran days and split reps with the other backs rather than taking the majority as most starters normally would. He did not appear in a preseason game.

“Really grinded through training camp last year,” Jones said. “This year, they take care of you. When we’re working, we’re working but they will take care of you. It’s the best I’ve felt and I’m ready to have the best year of my career.”

It’s not going to be easy to top the best years of his career. Jones led the NFL in touchdowns in 2019 and then averaged 5.5 yards per carry in 2020. Two years ago he went over 1,500 all-purpose yards by catching a career-high 59 passes.

Jones is absolutely convinced that he’s just starting the second half of his career.

“Every year I’m getting better and better and last year I felt like I was just starting to enter my prime and got hurt, so those last five showed that the game is slowing down more and more for me and I can see different things and I’m able to hit different holes and set dudes up in ways that maybe before I hadn’t been able to because the game was a little fast.”

Fullback CJ Ham didn’t hesitate when he was presented with Jones’ statement about just entering his prime.

“From everything I’ve seen he hasn’t slowed down even a little bit,” Ham said.

The veteran blocking back thinks that what sets Jones apart is his desire to continue understanding the game better and better each year.

“He pays attention to the details,” Ham said. “He’s still taking notes, he’s asking questions and asking for feedback. He’s not acting like, ‘Oh I’ve done this so many times I know what I’m doing.’ He’s trying to be a sponge in this new system.”

Cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who has had the unfortunate duty of trying to tackle Jones in several games over the years, said that a running back with the football IQ of Jones causes problems for defenders.

“When a running back has a high IQ like that, they are an all-around back, he can do anything,” Murphy Jr. said, pointing out that Jones can be called upon to take on any role from the goal-line back jumping over the pile to sneaking out on a route or blocking.

Between the team’s handling of Jones, his own effort to remain healthy and his intelligence and instincts leading the way more than sheer speed, it isn’t hard to be convinced that he can keep trucking. But the other important factor is that the Vikings aren’t going to put everything on Jones’ plate. The plan is to split carries with third-year speedster Ty Chandler, who averaged 4.5 yards per carry and took over RB1 duties at the end of last season.

“I’m excited to be his running mate, I know he’s going to do great things this year,” Jones said of Chandler. “I’m going to push him and be his biggest cheerleader…getting to watch him play last year watching film, he’s a special back, he has a lot of juice. Reminds me a lot of myself as well. I’m here to help him in any way progress his career.”

The Vikings will need everything that both runners can offer. Over the last two seasons they have struggled mightily to run the ball effectively, ranking 29th in 2023 and 27th in 2022 in total rushing yards.

How many carries, yards and receptions Jones ends up getting will be determined starting Sunday against the New York Giants. One thing that is guaranteed is that he will bring fire and confidence to the backfield.

“The other day it was an ongoing question in the locker room — how much would somebody have to pay you right now to stop playing football?” Jones said. “I was like, pretty much no amount of money because I have a lot left in the tank. I feel like I can play eight more years. And they’re looking at me like, you’re crazy.”

ADDITIONAL NOTES

— Jordan Addison was present during warm-ups for practice on Monday. That could be a good sign toward his chances to play on Sunday.

— Jalen Nailor was not working with the rest of the team. We will get an injury update/report on Wednesday.

— QB Jaren Hall signed with the Seahawks. O’Connell and Adofo-Mensah both said that they hoped he would return on the practice squad. The Vikings may look to add another QB to the PS.