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Why Jordan Mason is a perfect addition to the Minnesota Vikings’ backfield

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Why Jordan Mason is a perfect addition to the Minnesota Vikings’ backfield


The Vikings aren’t messing around when it comes to fixing a running game that has struggled during the first three years of the Kevin O’Connell era.

Last week, they brought back Aaron Jones on a two-year extension before he could hit free agency, then upgraded the interior of their offensive line by signing former Colts standouts Ryan Kelly and Will Fries. And on Saturday night, they went out and acquired running back Jordan Mason from the 49ers, landing an underrated player who is the perfect complement to Jones in their backfield.

The Vikings traded a 2026 sixth-round pick and a pick swap this year (No. 160 overall for No. 187 overall) to San Francisco for Mason. Because they got a 2026 sixth-rounder from the Texans in Thursday’s Ed Ingram trade, they essentially traded Ingram (a player who was no longer in their plans) and moved down just 27 spots in this year’s draft to land Mason, who is reportedly signing a two-year deal with the Vikings with over $7 million guaranteed and a maximum value of $12 million.

This is an outstanding move from GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah that really solidifies an excellent 1-2 punch in the Vikings’ backfield, which should do wonders for young quarterback J.J. McCarthy and the entire offense. Minnesota could still draft a running back in April, but that’s no longer a significant need, which will allow Adofo-Mensah and company to take a true best player available approach with the team’s selections.

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Mason, a former undrafted free agent who turns 26 in March, could be a multi-year fixture at running back for the Vikings moving forward. He broke out last year with 789 rushing yards, 91 receiving yards, and three touchdowns for the 49ers, stepping in as their lead back while Christian McCaffrey was injured. Across a three-year career, he’s averaged 5.3 yards per carry. But the box score numbers don’t tell the whole story of how effective Mason was last season.

Last year, Derrick Henry led NFL running backs with 1.77 rush yards over expected per attempt, a Next Gen Stats metric that attempts to measure how much yardage a back gains on a given play relative to what you’d expect based on the blocking and other factors. Saquon Barkley was second at 1.62 RYOE per attempt. In third place, at 1.38, was Mason. Only two other players (Chuba Hubbard and Jerome Ford) were above 1.0 in that statistic.

Mason generated his production despite facing eight-plus defenders in the box 33.3 percent of the time, according to NGS. Gus Edwards and Derrick Henry were the only other backs to see at least eight defenders stacked in the box on at least 33 percent of their rush attempts. Pro Football Focus charted Mason with 3.35 yards generated after contact per attempt, which was tied for 12th-best among the 72 running backs who had at least 50 carries last season.

Mason brings a blend of explosiveness, power, vision, and agility to the Vikings’ offense. He has a quick first step with the ball, but he also plays with great contact balance, which allows him to shed tacklers and continue gaining yardage. He’s a bigger back who is listed at 5’11”, 223 pounds, which is part of why he’s such a good complement to Jones (5’9″, 208). He runs with a very physical style and is a much more dynamic version of previous Vikings power backs like Alexander Mattison and Latavius Murray.

The Vikings have particularly struggled to run the ball in short-yardage situations and in the red zone, and Mason should help quite a bit in those areas. He only has 14 career receptions, but he’s capable in that regard. His size also helps him in pass protection, which is important in O’Connell’s offense.

Jones had a career-high 306 touches for over 1,500 yards from scrimmage last season, but he was at his best during his Packers career when paired with a powerful back like Jamaal Williams or A.J. Dillon. The Vikings will have the classic thunder and lightning backfield dynamic in 2025. Mason could potentially even see more playing time than Jones on early downs if he’s able to maintain his incredible efficiency from last season. Adding Mason also gives the Vikings insurance in case Jones has to miss any time. The 30-year-old veteran played in all 17 games last season, but not without getting banged up on a couple occasions.

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The Vikings could’ve waited until the draft and grabbed a running back to round out their backfield. But they don’t have many picks, and rookies at any position are always a bit of an unknown. Instead, they went out and got a proven option who had some of the best advanced metrics among all running backs in the NFL last season — and for a pretty low price in both trade compensation and future salary. That’s good business from Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings, whose offense is looking rather scary heading into next season.

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Minnesota Lynx take down Chicago Sky 91-78

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Minnesota Lynx take down Chicago Sky 91-78


WCCO digital headlines: Afternoon of July 14, 2025

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WCCO digital headlines: Afternoon of July 14, 2025

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04:41

Napheesa Collier had 29 points, five assists and three steals, Courtney Williams added 18 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Chicago Sky 91-78 on Monday night.

Minnesota (19-4), which played its fourth game in six days, avenged an 87-81 loss to the Sky on Saturday.

Bridget Carleton opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer to give the Lynx a lead, 47-46, they would not relinquish the rest of the way.

Collier added a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds left in the third, off a nice drive and assist from Williams, to extend Minnesota’s lead to 68-63. Collier also capped an 8-2 run to begin the fourth with two free throws to make it 76-65.

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Minnesota Lynx v Chicago Sky

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JULY 14: Napheesa Collier #24 of the Minnesota Lynx battles with Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky during the fourth quarter at Wintrust Arena on July 14, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images


Minnesota forced a turnover on three straight possessions late in the fourth and converted three layups at the other end for an 87-74 lead with 2:39 left.

Collier was 7 of 14 from the field, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range, and 11 of 11 at the free-throw line.

Kayla McBride added 17 points and Carleton scored 11 for the Lynx, who made 12 of 32 3-pointers.

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Angel Reese secured her ninth straight double-double for Chicago (7-14) with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Rachel Banham added 15 points and Rebecca Allen scored 10. Ariel Atkins, who scored 27 points on Saturday, left in the second quarter and did not return due to a leg injury.



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Trial will be

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Trial will be


It’s a high-stakes trial that could ultimately give Republicans and Democrats a 50-50 split in the Minnesota Senate.

“It has such political ramifications,” said Twin Cities attorney Mike Bryant. “I think a lot of people will be watching what happens.” 

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It was April 2024, when the criminal complaint said Minnesota Sen. Nicole Mitchell‘s stepmother’s called 911 to report a burglary at her Detroit Lakes home. Mitchell allegedly told police she entered the home to retrieve personal items connected to her recently deceased father, because her stepmother had cut off contact.

In a social media post, Mitchell denied all allegations. Mitchell said she had gone to check on a family member with Alzheimer’s disease.

Bryant said he feels Mitchell will have to testify.

“Unless the state has a really super weak case that they can’t prove anything, I think it’s going to be one of those situations where the jury’s going to want to hear from her,” said Bryant. 

“I think it’s going to be very difficult to win,” said Minneapolis criminal defense attorney Joe Tamburino. “Let’s face it, according to what’s in the complaint and what we imagine the prosecutor will prove at trial, is that she was found in the house at the very early morning hours, she was dressed in black and she was discovered by her stepmother and then supposedly she ran down to the basement, and then when the police got there, she made a number of incriminating statements.”

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Tamburino said Mitchell’s defense team will be calling on character witnesses.

“Those are witnesses who would say ‘look, the defendant is someone who’s honest, trustworthy, a good person,’” said Tamburino.

They will also try for something called jury nullification.

“Meaning you’re just telling the jury you never had the intent to do this, you’re a good person, so please find me not guilty,” said Tamburino. “Will there be witnesses, like factual witnesses, to say things that ‘well some of this property really was belonging to the defendant Ms. Mitchell’ or ‘some of this property was meant to go to her.’”

Bryant said he expects the longest part of the trial to be jury selection. If a jury can be picked in time, he expects the trial should wrap by the end of the week.

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Remer, the ‘Home of Bigfoot,’ draws thousands of believers and curiosity-seekers to festival

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Remer, the ‘Home of Bigfoot,’ draws thousands of believers and curiosity-seekers to festival


“We’re very self-disciplined [and] keep the facts straight,” he said.

In 2009, Tim Kedrowski’s trail camera on his family’s hunting land in Remer captured a blurry image of a towering, dark figure with long arms. The image made headlines worldwide.

Some thought it was a hoax, but Kedrowski contacted the MN.B.R.T. to confirm it was a bigfoot.

Kedrowski, who died last year, wasn’t a bigfoot believer, said son Casey Kedrowski of Rice, Minn. But without the trail camera image, he said, Remer couldn’t lay claim to bigfoot like the way it does today.

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Ruyak trademarked Remer as the Home of Bigfoot, a designation he said was solidified after the reputed 2009 sighting. He has studied local reports of alleged bigfoot sightings dating back to the early 1900s, when town founder William P. Remer discovered massive footprints.



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