Okay, here’s a version of the text rewritten with a more human and conversational tone, getting rid of the extraneous HTML:
Good news, Vikings fans! Aaron Jones is one step closer to returning.
The Vikings just opened Aaron Jones’ 21-day practice window on Tuesday, which means he could be back as soon as this Thursday against the Chargers.
(Want more Vikings updates? Subscribe to the free Vikings On SI newsletter!)
Jones has been sidelined since Week 2 with a hamstring injury, so it’s not a lock that he’ll play this week, especially with the short turnaround. However, it sounds like it’s definitely possible.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell seems optimistic, saying, “He’s a guy that you don’t really need to get out there and test too much, cause you know, in his rehab and the work he has done on the side fields. He’s a veteran player, he knows what he has to do. He knows what he needs to feel like. We’ll be smart with Aaron, but at the same time, we know he’s here for a reason, and we know what he can bring to our offense.”
O’Connell added, “We’ll see how he responds…because he didn’t play on Sunday, he can do a little bit more, either with the trainers, or side work in conjunction with what he’s doing in the walk-through to mentally prepare where he’ll be at on Thursday.”
Remember how good Jones was last year? Over 1,500 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns! Getting him back would be a massive shot in the arm for the Vikings offense. He only had a small sample size this season with 13 carries for 46 yards in the first two games.
If Jones can’t go on Thursday, expect to see Jordan Mason continue to get the bulk of the carries, with rookies Zavier Scott and veteran Cam Akers filling in behind him.