Veteran running back Aaron Jones is not keeping his opinion of rookie Demond Claiborne to himself.
Jones, who is entering his first season with the Minnesota Vikings, has watched Claiborne in practice and already sees something worth talking about. "You can see it," Jones said, via Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "Right away, just getting in and out of the cuts. He's a special back in this league. I get to mentor him up and show him the way. I told him I want him to be successful, I want to see him go on and get paid and those kinds of things. He'll be playing in this league as long as he wants to, but just got to lock in here and take care of the business."
Claiborne spent four seasons at Wake Forest before going underdrafted until the sixth round, where Minnesota selected him at pick No. 198. At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Vikings are installing a wide-zone rushing attack this season under Frank Smith, the former Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator who joined Minnesota as assistant head coach. The shift represents a change in identity. Head coach Kevin O'Connell has prioritized the passing game throughout his first four seasons in Minnesota, and the running game has largely stayed in the background.
The backfield also includes Jordan Mason, Zavier Scott, and Jordan Mims, giving the Vikings options behind Jones and Claiborne.
Whether the team fully commits to running the ball remains unclear. O'Connell built his reputation working with quarterbacks, and the passing game continues to drive the offense. The team also has an ongoing quarterback competition that has drawn significant attention heading into the season.
Claiborne's role will depend on how the offense develops and how quickly he adapts to the professional game.
