The ailing Minnesota Vikings placed running back Aaron Jones Sr. on injured reserve on Wednesday, requiring him to miss a minimum of four games with a hamstring injury suffered during a costly defeat in the home opener.
With quarterback J.J. McCarthy likely out for multiple weeks with a sprained ankle, the Vikings also signed Desmond Ridder, the starter in 2023 for the Atlanta Falcons, to the active roster for depth behind Carson Wentz and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer.
And while Minnesota tries to find a groove on offense, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said it will take more than the quarterback to get it rolling.
"We see across the board on the offense, coaches talked about all 11 playing together," said Phillips. "I think when you've seen the reps where all 11 are playing together both in the run and the pass, and everyone's just doing their jobs, I mean there's some 4-yard hits in the run game. Some 7, some 8's going back to Chicago. There was some more explosive runs there. In the pass game, you know, when everyone's kind of just doing their job, and just executing."
Jordan Mason, who was in an even share of the backfield load with the nine-year veteran Jones, will become the clear featured ball carrier with Ty Chandler and undrafted rookie Zavier Scott behind him on the depth chart. The Vikings also signed old friend Cam Akers to the practice squad, after acquiring the sixth-year running back in separate in-season trades in 2023 with the Los Angeles Rams and 2024 with the Houston Texans.
"There is an aspect of us learning not only J.J.'s strengths, Carson Wentz coming in, our offensive line, what schemes they are really taking to," Phillips explains. "Every year there's kind of a little different, we're a little better at this than that. That you kind of learn throughout training camp and we feel like we have a good handle on this upcoming game, this defense, at least the initial stages, of trying to game plan and give these guys the best opportunity."
Akers, who was released at the end of training camp by the New Orleans Saints, became a favorite of Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell and offensive coordinator Wes Phillips during their time together with the Rams that ended with a Super Bowl trophy after the 2021 season. In 12 regular-season games last year for the Vikings, Akers had 64 carries for 297 yards for a career-best average of 4.6 yards per attempt. He also had 10 catches for 52 yards and totaled three touchdowns.
Ridder was a third-round pick by the Falcons in 2022 out of Cincinnati, whom he helped lead to a College Football Playoff semifinal berth. He passed for 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 64.2% completion rate and 2,836 yards in 2023, plus five rushing scores. The following year, when the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins and drafted Michael Penix Jr., he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals for wide receiver and return specialist Rondale Moore. Ridder was eventually signed off the practice squad by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 and made one start. He was cut at the end of training camp last month by the Cincinnati Bengals, who visit the Vikings on Sunday.
