RandBall: My favorite Vikings offseason move might be a surprise

Offseason “grades” are a cheap commodity, but the Vikings generally have been lauded for what they have done in the past week.

They’ve bolstered their interior offensive and defensive lines with two key pickups on each side of the ball. They’ve worked quickly to address a secondary that could have become a concern. And they’ve generally done it without sacrificing long-term flexibility.

A year after massive success in free agency fueled their surprising 14-win season, they could be primed for a repeat in 2025.

But the move that might end up being the best one and which is the leader as my favorite so far came at a relatively quiet time. The acquired player might not end up starting a game in 2025.

Trading with the San Francisco 49ers for running back Jordan Mason was a big deal that could be a key to this season and beyond — something I talked about on Tuesday’s Daily Delivery podcast.

Even after re-signing veteran running back Aaron Jones early last week, it felt as if the Vikings were thin and vulnerable at the position. Adding another good back was among the priorities I identified for when/if they turn things over to second-year QB J.J. McCarthy.

Jones was very good last season, rushing for a career-high 1,138 yards and appearing in all 18 games, including the playoffs. But he also seemed to wear down and didn’t have the same impact as the season went on. Check out these splits:

First nine games: 142 carries for 653 yards; 28 catches for 258 yards; one fumble.

Last nine games (including playoffs): 126 carries for 533 yards; 26 catches for 162 yards; four fumbles.

The drop-off wasn’t dramatic, but it was noticeable. The Vikings obviously could see what the rest of us could see: Jones, who recently turned 30, still has plenty of value (including as a blocker and leader). But he and the Vikings offense would benefit from a more managed workload throughout the season.

Drafting a running back seemed logical, but the Vikings have only four picks. So instead they swung a trade Saturday for Mason.

They dealt the 2026 sixth-round pick they had just received from Houston for Ed Ingram and also gave up the 160th pick in this year’s draft while getting No. 187. Mason got a two-year contract with $7 million guaranteed, a mid-budget move that is more expensive than a draft pick but offers a known commodity.

Mason will turn 26 before the season starts, and he has just 253 career carries as mostly a backup in San Francisco. But he has averaged 5.3 yards per carry in his career, with many of those yards coming after contact. And last year in his first seven games (six starts), while serving as the 49ers' lead back, he ran for 667 yards.

At 223 pounds, he’s more physical than Jones. Both of them running behind a revamped offensive line in 2025 should give the Vikings' their best running game of coach Kevin O’Connell’s tenure.

And Mason could prove to be the Vikings’ best offseason acquisition.