It's certainly no secret that, after ranking 25th in the NFL this past season in rushing at 106.6 yards per game, one of the big needs for the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason is at the running back position.
Truth be told, with Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco combining for only 1,073 yards, things could have actually been worse had Patrick Mahomes not run for a career-high 422 yards, with the two-time MVP also setting a new personal best with five rushing scores. Hunt and Pacheco are both unrestricted free agents, and it's possible that neither of them return in 2026.
Now armed with two first-round picks in next month's draft after trading Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City could very well be eyeing a running back, with Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love likely being the top target. Of course, how the Chiefs handle the draft will depend on how things go in free agency, as they've been linked to several high-profile names over the past couple of months, a list that includes Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, Travis Etienne, and Tyler Allgeier, among others.
There is another option out there, however, that hasn't gotten as much attention, at least not as it pertains to coming to Kansas City, and that's nine-year veteran Aaron Jones.
Aaron Jones could be a viable option for the Chiefs at running back
After spending the first seven years of his pro career with the Green Bay Packers, Jones has spent the last two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. He was set to don the Purple & Gold once again in 2026, but was recently informed that he's being released due to Minnesota's issues with the salary cap.
Sure, Jones didn't have the greatest 2025 campaign, rushing for just 548 yards, his lowest total since his rookie year in Green Bay. But he also missed five games and was sharing the workload in the backfield with Jordan Mason.
However, just a season earlier, the UTEP alum rushed for a career-high 1,138 yards and five touchdowns, also adding another 408 yards and two scores on 51 receptions. Jones has long been one of the more underrated dual-threat backs in the league, and the receiving aspect of his game would undoubtedly be welcomed, as neither Hunt nor Pacheco is particularly strong in that area.
Now, at 31 years of age, Jones can't come in and be an every-down kind of back for the Chiefs. But if the team doesn't sign one of the more high-profile players mentioned above and drafts a running back early, having a veteran presence like Jones to help mentor a rookie while also producing would be beneficial.
Jones' AAV on his contract with the Vikings was $10 million, but he's certainly not going to get that from anybody in free agency. But if he's willing to take maybe $5 million or $6 million, which seems to be his market at the moment, this is definitely an option the Chiefs need to at least consider.