The Minnesota Vikings are keeping one of their own pending free agents on the roster on a day when tons of NFL deals and trades went down.
Veteran running back Aaron Jones won't be setting the market like he did last offseason after he agreed to terms on a new deal with the Vikings, who announced the move on Sunday.
Jones' new deal is reportedly worth $20 million over the next two seasons.
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Jones had signed a one-year, $7 million deal to join the Vikings, who he knew as his NFC North rival throughout his time with the Green Bay Packers.
He severed ties with the Packers after turning down a pay cut this past offseason.
Now, head coach Kevin O'Connell had the initial view of the Jones signing as a veteran who could lead a running-back-by-committee scheme in his backfield. Jones, 30, had an injury history, including six games missed in 2023, so having the options there was the thought.
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However, Jones quickly showed O’Connell that he still deserves the lion’s share of touches after he rushed for 1,138 yards on 255 carries with five touchdowns while hauling in 51 passes for 408 yards and two scores.
Jones’ 1,546 yards from scrimmage was his best total since his breakout 2019 campaign, where he had 1,558 yards and 19 total touchdowns to lead the NFL with the Packers.
Jones played a vital role in a high-octane Vikings offense that also saw Sam Darnold, a journeyman quarterback to that point in his career, light up the scoreboard thanks to play-action playing a major part in the pass game.
As NFL fans know, a good play-action is only as good as a productive run game.
Seeing the success of Jones in the backfield, the Vikings wasted no time keeping him in place as they go into the 2025 season trying to answer the quarterback question instead.
Recent reports indicate the Vikings and Darnold are not expected to reach a deal despite the career-altering campaign he just had in Minnesota. The team still has 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy on the depth chart, and Daniel Jones, who was released by the New York Giants two years after signing a four-year extension, joined the team and could return to provide veteran competition.
But there is no worry as to who will be taking carries from whoever starts under center for the Vikings in 2025, as Jones is set to lead the way once more.
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D.K. Metcalf's wish to be traded by the Seattle Seahawks has been granted.
He's getting his big payday he wants, too.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have reportedly sent a 2025 second-round pick to the Seahawks in exchange for Metcalf, per ESPN. They will also be swapping 2025 sixth- and seventh-round picks.
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On top of that, ESPN reports the Steelers and Metcalf agreeing to a five-year, $150 million contract to keep him with the team long-term.
The Steelers already have one of the best deep-ball threats in the game with George Pickens in the wide receivers room, and he will now be paired up with Metcalf, who can be the same threat anywhere on the gridiron.
Metcalf was searching for a new contract this offseason as he was entering the final year of his three-year, $72 million deal with Seattle.
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Last week, Metcalf requested to be traded by the Seahawks after having conversations about his future with the franchise that chose him in the second round in 2019. GM John Schneider noted taking calls from a bunch of teams after the news went public but that he would be making a deal that best suited his team, not Metcalf, for the future.
Schneider has been busy revamping the Seahawks’ depth chart this offseason, as he also cut veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett, defensive tackles Dre’Mont Jones and Roy Robertson-Harris, safety Rayshawn Jenkins and offensive tackle George Fant.
And Metcalf wasn’t the only offensive star to be dealt elsewhere – his starting quarterback since 2022 was moved, too.
Geno Smith was reunited with Pete Carroll after the Seahawks sent him to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick.
It’s a new-look Seahawks squad that has some good draft capital as well as young pieces like running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnett and wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba to build around.
For the Steelers, their next big acquisition will be their quarterback for the 2025 campaign.
Last season, it was time split with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, the latter of whom was rehabbing from injury and was given his starting job back once healthy. Head coach Mike Tomlin once again led his squad to a playoff berth despite mediocre offensive production, though it didn’t last long with a Wild Card Round exit.
With the 27-year-old Metcalf locked up for years to come, along with other solid talent on offense, the Steelers will be hoping to lock down a signal-caller very soon. Wilson and Fields are available as well as other free agent options like Sam Darnold, Jameis Winston and Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to be released by the Jets on March 12 when the new league year begins.
In his sixth NFL season last year, Metcalf tallied 66 catches (108 targets) for 992 yards with five touchdowns over 15 games (12 starts).
Metcalf has totaled three 1,000-yard seasons over his career and back-to-back double-digit touchdown campaigns in 2020 and 2021.
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