Vikings’ Aaron Jones raves about ‘special’ teammate amid training camp

The Minnesota Vikings are preparing to put considerably more emphasis on their rushing attack in 2026. Veteran running back Aaron Jones already believes one young teammate can become a special weapon. With former Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Frank Smith joining Kevin O’Connell’s staff and helping implement a wide-zone rushing attack, sixth-round selection Demond Claiborne is generating early buzz in training camp.

Claiborne, selected No. 198 overall out of Wake Forest, slipped to the sixth round despite blazing 4.37-second speed at the NFL Scouting Combine. Jones has already seen enough to become one of his biggest supporters.

“You can see it,” Jones said, highlighting Claiborne’s ability to get in and out of cuts. “He’s a special back in this league.”

Jones also embraced his role as a mentor, telling Claiborne that he wants to see him succeed and earn a long NFL career. The combination of Claiborne’s acceleration and Minnesota’s new scheme could create an intriguing complement to Jones and Jordan Mason. If he continues mastering the nuances of the offense, Claiborne could carve out a meaningful role sooner than expected and add another explosive dimension to the Vikings’ ground game.

Jones, meanwhile, has plenty of experience recognizing what it takes to thrive in the NFL. Selected in the fifth round by Green Bay in 2017, he became one of the league’s most efficient backs. Jones earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2020 and shared the NFL rushing touchdown lead with 16 scores in 2019. After joining Minnesota in 2024, Jones continued producing at a high level and established himself as both a rushing threat and receiving weapon. With more than 7,600 career rushing yards and 73 total touchdowns, his mentorship could prove invaluable to Claiborne’s development.

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