Vikings RB Aaron Jones Sr. Cleared to Start vs. Buccaneers After Knee Injury

Aaron Jones Sr. will start Sunday for the Vikings against Tampa Bay after returning to full participation in Friday's practice following a knee injury.

Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. was a full participant in Friday's practice and has been cleared to start Sunday's road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 31-year-old veteran previously sustained a knee injury during a Week 2 victory over the Chicago Bears, a game in which he recorded 23 carries and finished the contest wearing a knee brace. Although Jones did not participate in Wednesday's practice session, he stated Friday that he never doubted his availability for the upcoming matchup.

The Vikings' offensive approach may shift this week as starting quarterback Kyler Murray returns to the lineup. Through two games, Minnesota ranks No. 2 in the NFL with a 50% designed run rate, a statistic largely accumulated while backup Carson Wentz was under center. Jones will be supported in the backfield by veteran DeeJay Dallas and rookie Demond Claiborne.

Depth at the position remains limited as veteran Jordan Mason is currently on injured reserve. Mason is expected to miss at least two more weeks of action due to a fractured thumb. Jones noted that while his specific workload for Sunday is undetermined, he is prepared to handle a heavy volume of touches if the game script requires it.