EAGAN, Minn. -- The NFL's free agent negotiating window had been open for less than 24 hours when the Minnesota Vikings made one of the most surprising moves in their recent history.
No, it wasn't the decision to let quarterback Kirk Cousins depart without having a successor on hand. It was their swift choice to pursue and sign a 29-year-old running back with a recent history of injuries. Their $7 million agreement with Aaron Jones, hours after he was released by the Green Bay Packers, was an important moment in the ongoing understanding of how general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah -- one of the most analytically inclined general managers in NFL history -- approaches team-building.