EAGAN, Minn. — Reinforcements are on the way to the Vikings running backs room.
Fresh off a Week 6 bye, which was perhaps most deserved by Aaron Jones, Sr., the team on Monday announced running back Jordan Mason will return to practice this week.
The designation opens a 21-day evaluation window to make sure Mason is ready before he is activated.
The Vikings view Jones and Mason as starting-caliber players and planned to keep both fresh with a rotation.
The plan needed an alteration after Mason suffered a hand injury in Week 1 that required surgery.
Mason, 27, rushed 15 times for 59 yards and a touchdown in the win against the Packers and has been rehabbing the injury since.
Jones, 31, rushed 12 times for 40 yards and a touchdown against the team that drafted him and shouldered a heavier load in the past four games. He rushed 23 times for 105 yards at Chicago and gained 58 hard-fought yards on 17 carries at Tampa Bay.
Jones followed with 20 rushes for 94 yards and added 34 receiving yards for the second consecutive week when Minnesota hosted Miami.
At New Orleans, Jones rushed 25 times for 113 yards, including an 8-yard bulldozing run for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of a 23-13 win.
The Vikings (5-0) host the Colts (2-4) at noon (CT) Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
