When last offseason started, the Minnesota Vikings had a clear plan to become a more efficient rushing offense. A key piece of that plan was acquiring running back Jordan Mason from the San Francisco 49ers.
Without getting into the potentially boring details, Mason was easy to see as the ideal complement to Aaron Jones.
Last season, he was better in every area where Jones was not very good as a runner. The Vikings also needed someone who could reduce the workload of a 31-year-old running back coming off a career-high in touches.
In Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, Mason asserted himself as the Vikings' best running back.