Jordan Mason Could Be in Line for a Promotion After Vikings Debut

The Minnesota Vikings didn’t make it easy, but they still found a way to defeat the Chicago Bears on Monday night. The season-opening victory was filled with highlights, including J.J. McCarthy’s recovery from a pick-six in the third quarter and Eric Wilson’s blocked punt in the fourth quarter capped off a brilliant night for Minnesota’s special teams.

But lost in the hype of the victory was the debut of Jordan Mason, who brought another element to the Vikings' running game.

Mason’s stat line doesn’t look the best, managing 68 scoreless yards on 15 carries and adding a seven-yard reception. But his performance couldn’t have gone better and may have him in line for a promotion as the Vikings prepare for the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.

Jordan Mason Could Emerge from Vikings Backfield Split in Week 2

Mason was acquired in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers last March and immediately given a two-year, $12 million contract extension. Coming off a career year where he ran for 789 yards and three touchdowns, Mason appeared to be a strong complement to running back Aaron Jones. But the one area where Mason has the edge over Jones is his ability to gain yards after contact.

According to Pro Football Focus, Mason ranked 10th among 50 qualifying running backs last season with an average of 3.35 yards after contact. The number not only topped Jones’s mark of 2.97 yards (27th among qualifiers) but was also better than several notable running backs, including Saquon Barkley (3.32), Jahmyr Gibbs (3.29), and Jonathan Taylor (2.68).

That trend continued on Monday night as Mason averaged 3.73 yards after contact, a clip that was eighth among qualifying runners in Week 1. But he also did it in bulk, with 56 of his 68 yards coming after contact.

Jones didn’t have a terrible night in this regard, averaging 3.00 yards after contact on his eight attempts. But he never got going on the ground with 23 yards on those carries. Mason also brought a physical edge when he touched the ball, which established the run after a rocky start in the first half and opened things up for McCarthy to fire downfield and lead the comeback.

This shouldn’t spell the end for Jones, who still made an impact in the passing game with three catches for 44 yards, including a go-ahead 27-yard touchdown reception with 9:46 left in the game. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert also mentioned that while the backfield was unlikely to be a 50-50 split, it could be “much closer to that” due to the effectiveness of Mason.

When Seifert’s report was published at the beginning of training camp, it felt like Jones would be leading that committee. But at 30 years old and a tough game on the ground in Week 1, it feels like Mason could be more than the goal-line, short-yardage hammer some thought he would be coming to Minnesota.

That shift could take place as early as Week 2 and bring the best out of both running backs as they prepare to face the Atlanta Falcons.

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