There will be no shortage of options for the Denver Broncos to address what is arguably their highest priority this offseason: running back. The rushing attack was looking quite good for the first 10 games of the 2025 season, but an unfortunate foot injury ended what would have been a career-best year by J.K. Dobbins.
On Sunday, Adam Schefter reported that the Minnesota Vikings are planning to release veteran running back Aaron Jones after two seasons, barring a trade. The move isn’t shocking. Jones is a cap casualty, and his release will free up $7.75 million for Minnesota.
And yes, it feels like every running back who hits the market immediately gets connected to Denver. That part is fair, but not every option fits the same plan.
The Broncos’ approach at running back will ultimately dictate which names actually make sense. If Denver is preparing to spend at the top of the market, Jones likely isn’t the move. But if George Paton is serious about bringing back Dobbins, something that’s quietly gained traction this week, then Jones suddenly becomes very interesting.
It all depends on the strategy.
The Denver Broncos have a plethora of options to fix the RB room this offseason
Jones is coming off what many would consider one of the more underwhelming stretches of his career. Injuries limited his rhythm, and the Vikings’ offensive instability didn’t help. JJ McCarthy in at quarterback and a split backfield with an emerging Jordan Mason made it difficult to find consistency. The rhetoric that a young quarterback is a running back’s dream doesn’t always hold up when defenses don’t respect the passing attack.
Just one season prior, Jones eclipsed 1,100 rushing yards with Sam Darnold under center. He’s proven that in a stable system, he can still be highly productive.
At 31 years old, Jones isn’t the explosive, breakaway threat he once was. That’s reality. But what he still offers is vision, patience, receiving ability, and veteran savvy, traits that age far better than pure speed.
If the Broncos are not pursuing a top-of-market back and instead are looking to build a committee around Dobbins or potentially a younger player like RJ Harvey then Jones fits that mold cleanly. He doesn’t need 20 carries a game to be effective. He needs defined usage, something he also missed this past season with the Vikings and something he can find with Denver's newest playcaller in Davis Webb.
And beyond the stat sheet, there’s value in what he brings to a locker room.
Jones has played meaningful football. He’s been part of winning teams. He understands playoff pressure and for a Broncos roster trying to re-establish itself as an AFC contender, that matters.
Jones wouldn’t be a splash signing. It wouldn’t win the offseason headline war either.
But if Denver’s goal is balance and insulating a young offense without overcommitting financially at running back, Jones makes football sense in the right scenario. Paton has yet to make a blockbuster investment at the position, and Sean Payton has shown no signs of abandoning his running back-by-committee approach. There’s a realistic path where that trend continues this season with someone like Jones in the fold.
Jones isn’t set for a massive payday. At 31 years old, those days are likely behind him. But at this stage of his career, a team-friendly deal loaded with incentives and a legitimate shot at a Lombardi Trophy could be exactly what brings him to Denver.
The key isn’t whether he’s available.
It’s whether he aligns with the Broncos’ actual plan this season.