Neal: Bet against Aaron Jones and the Vikings running game at your own risk

It is without question that Justin Jefferson is an elite player. Yet he’s not the most important player on the Vikings offense.

Quarterback is one of the most important positions in sports, but the current leader of the Purple, Sam Darnold, isn’t the most important offensive player, either.

How about the guy assigned to protect Darnold’s blind side, the left tackle? Christian Darrisaw, just 25, is one of the highest paid at his position in the game. But, nope, it’s not him.

As the Vikings embark on their 64th season on Sunday, their most important player on offense has yet to play a down for them. He has traded in his green and gold sombrero for a purple and gold one.

It is running back Aaron Jones, and the timing of his arrival couldn’t be better.

Jones, 29, has rushed for at least 1,000 yards in a season three times. He once scored 16 touchdowns in a season. He’s been named to a Pro Bowl. He is a cultured running back with the savvy to maneuver around tacklers when he can, or run over them when he needs to. He’s averaged 47 receptions out of the backfield over the last five seasons. He recovered from hamstring and knee injuries last season to finish with five consecutive 100-yard games, including two postseason games. The Packers averaged 30.4 points in those five games.

While running backs historically have peaked by his age, Ponce de LeJones is seeking the restorative powers to extend his career into his 30s. He’s embraced a pre-practice routine called “pre-hab” that focuses on injury prevention, and he has sought advice from former running backs who have given Father Time the stiff arm.

“I feel like every year, I’m getting better and better, and last year I felt like I was just about to start entering my prime,” Jones said last week.

When the Packers parted ways with him during the offseason, the Vikings smartly stepped in. The Vikings were 29th in the league in rushing yards last season and 27th in 2022. Some of it was due to pass-happy play-calling. But the Vikings are coming off a season in which Alexander Mattison didn’t work out as the lead back, losing the role to Ty Chandler. Now, Jones will combine with Chandler to give the Vikings a ground game in a season in which they will need one.

This helps two people in particular.

Let’s start with head coach Kevin O’Connell. The coach has the proclivity to press the pass button until it breaks. In 2022, when he had a healthy Kirk Cousins as quarterback, the Vikings were third in the league with 672 passing attempts. Even last year, with four different quarterbacks starting, the Vikings were fourth with 631 attempts.

O’Connell has stated during the preseason he’s ready to commit to the run more than he did in his first two years. I’ll believe it when we see it, but Jones isn’t here to pass protect. He’s a credible back whose presence should encourage O’Connell to use the ground game more frequently.

This also helps Darnold, who is trying to reboot a career that has included stints with the Jets, Panthers and 49ers. He doesn’t have to sling the ball 40 times a game to produce points. An effective running game can put him in manageable down situations and keep blitz-happy defenses honest. Jones recently predicted that Darnold will be the comeback player of the year. If that happens, it will be because of a balanced attack influenced by Jones’ running.

Jones wants to prove he’s not on the downside of his career. He wants Darnold to succeed. He’s promised fantasy football owners a title if they draft him.

He’s put a lot on himself, and that’s what important players do.