Ex-Packer Aaron Jones will get a contemporary begin because the Vikings enter their post-Kirk Cousins period

Aaron Jones sauntered into the room, sporting a large smile, designer sun shades and a purple hat.

In case this contemporary search for his introductory information convention on the Minnesota Vikings’ headquarters wasn’t unfamiliar sufficient, the previous Inexperienced Bay operating again — as he bought as much as depart when it was over — clapped his palms above his head and broke into a quick “Skol!” chant in tribute to the stadium ritual carried out at every recreation by the followers who rooted laborious in opposition to him simply a few months in the past.

“I needed to go the place I used to be needed,” Jones mentioned Thursday, “and that’s right here.”

The NFL is rarely a extra fast-moving enterprise than in March, as Jones was absolutely a part of this week. The Packers publicly declared their want to convey him again for an eighth season in inexperienced and gold, however as is commonly the case on this league, they had been finally solely keen to take action at their value.

Launched on Monday — when the Packers had been engaged on a brand new take care of his alternative, 2022 All-Professional Josh Jacobs — Jones had a contract with the Vikings by the following morning.

As he took questions from reporters in regards to the change to Inexperienced Bay’s fiercest rival, following the trail blazed by Ryan Longwell, Brett Favre, Greg Jennings and Za’Darius Smith amongst others, Jones deftly prevented dropping any trace of bitterness towards his former staff like he was dodging tacklers on the sector. He stored his focus squarely on Minnesota, raving about how the group had handled him and his household upon arrival.

“It’s not unusual in any respect. It’s soccer,” Jones mentioned. “You modify groups and you alter teammates. That’s a part of the sport.”

Like Jones, the Vikings themselves had been within the nascent stage of their contemporary begin at quarterback after the departure of Kirk Cousins for Atlanta.

“Generally issues simply don’t work out. I feel crucial factor is that alignment and the understanding that our plan is in place,” coach Kevin O’Connell mentioned. “Ultimately, as a lot as I might’ve preferred to have Kirk right here, the appropriate factor shifting ahead for our staff is the place we’re as we speak.”

Newcomer Sam Darnold, the third general choose within the 2018 draft who was signed to be at the very least a short lived sub, sat subsequent to Jones about two hours after Vikings normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell had shared the identical podium to debate their path ahead.

“We’ve been very clear that we predict we might win a Tremendous Bowl with Kirk Cousins, however we have now a sport that solely will get you a sure variety of draft picks, a wage cap, competitors versus different groups. It’s a resource-constrained factor, so we don’t get the prospect to only say, binary, sure or no,” Adofo-Mensah mentioned. “There needs to be planning and technique in concerned.”

The Vikings continued to fill different vacancies on Thursday by agreeing to phrases on contracts with defensive deal with Jerry Tillery and large receiver Trent Sherfield.

Tillery was a 2019 first-round draft choose — twenty eighth general — out of Notre Dame by the Los Angeles Chargers. The 27-year-old was waived halfway by means of the 2022 season and claimed by Las Vegas, which launched him final week. The 6-foot-6, 295-pound Tillery performed in all 17 video games for the Raiders in 2023, with 31 tackles, six quarterback hits and two sacks.

Sherfield has performed for Arizona, San Francisco, Miami and Buffalo after getting into the league undrafted out of Vanderbilt in 2018. He performed in all 17 video games for the Payments final season, with 11 receptions for 86 yards and one landing.

The Vikings additionally launched three new defensive gamers destined for key roles: edge rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel and inside linebacker Blake Cashman.

The Minnesota native Cashman was having a tough time greedy his luck, attending to go to his hometown staff together with a pal in Greenard as they each departed Houston. Additionally they obtained the welcome information that six-time Professional Bowl security Harrison Smith accepted a pay lower and determined to return for a thirteenth season within the NFL, all with the Vikings.

“That tells me every part I have to find out about who he’s,” Cashman mentioned, “and what sort of group that is.”

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL