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Jones had five total tackles, including 2.0 sacks, in Sunday's win over the 49ers. Jones has recorded two sacks in each of Minnesota's first two games and has five total sacks his last two seasons. The 2021 third-round draft pick wasn't thought of as an impact pass rusher, but he's benefited from the focus on other players amid a deep rotation. Jones played on just 34 of the defense's 74 snaps, so he may not get the volume of opportunities with which to come close to keeping up this pace.
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Jones logged 32 total tackles, including 1.0 sack and an additional four tackles for loss, in 17 games during the 2023 regular season. The 2021 third-round pick saw increased snaps on Minnesota's defense after D.J. Wonnum sustained a quadriceps injury towards the end of the season, and he took advantage of the opportunity. In the Vikings' final three games, Jones racked up 16 total tackles, including 1.0 sacks and two additional tackles for loss. The 26-year-old also saw the most snaps he's seen as a pass rusher in his career in 2023 (388) and finished third on the team with 32 pressures, almost 20 more than he had in 2022. Jones is heading into the final season of his rookie contract, and he'll likely continue to contribute as a rotational pass rusher.
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Jones (illness) was a full participant at practice Tuesday ahead of Saturday's game versus the Giants, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. After missing Minnesota's win versus Indianapolis in Week 15, Jones appears to be on track to return for Week 16. The 2021 third-rounder has tallied 19 tackles and three sacks through 13 games in 2022.
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Jones was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday. Jones is now in danger of missing the Vikings' contest against the Packers on Sunday. If Jones is not able to clear protocols in time, Tashawn Bower will likely see a significant increase in snaps.