WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Kevin O’Connell spoke for exactly 31 minutes, 58 seconds on Tuesday morning at the NFL owners meetings. He answered a wide array of questions from local reporters, while national reporters occasionally chimed in with some inquiries of their own. Not once did Aaron Rodgers come up in conversation. It was a breath of fresh air for pretty much everybody involved, considering Rodgers has dominated headlines at seemingly every turn. The reprieve from the rumors gave O’Connell a chance to provide insight into the many moves the Vikings have made this offseason. It marked the first time he has gone in depth about everything that has happened over the past few weeks. Here are five takeaways from that conversation: The decision to pair Aaron Jones with Jordan Mason After striking a new deal with Aaron Jones last month on the eve of free agency, the Vikings immediately started canvassing the market in search of a complementary piece to pair alongside him in the backfield. Though he managed to play in every game last season, Jones finished with a career high 306 touches, a heavy workload that isn’t sustainable as he slowly progresses into the later stages of his career. “We wanted to make sure we were using Aaron in a way that allowed him to be his most impactful self,” O’Connell said. “When he has historically had that 1A, 1B backfield structure, he can be a total game changer every time he touches it.” That led to the Vikings acquiring Mason via a trade with the San Francisco 49ers. His impressive performance against the Vikings last season — he finished with 20 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown — played a role in him emerging as a viable option. “We really felt what we were looking for was right before our very eyes,” O’Connell said. “He’s tough to tackle when he gets in space, and he has burst and explosion to finish runs.” The combination of Jones and Mason should give the Vikings some versatility in the backfield as they aim for a marriage between the run and the pass that makes them unpredictable on offense. The thought process behind signing injured players It’s not hard to find the common thread when looking at some of the key players the Vikings added in free agency. They signed Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on the defensive line, and Ryan Kelly and Will Fries on the offensive line, all of whom missed significant time due to injuries last season. Why did they do that? It’s pretty clear that the Vikings feel like they possess a competitive advantage with Tyler Williams leading their medical staff. “They’ve just proven it time and time again,” O’Connell said. “They’re world class down there with what they do.” Not only do the Vikings believe Allen, Hargrave, Kelly, and Fries will be back to 100 percent ahead of next season, they also believe Williams and the medical staff can put together a plan that maximizes their ability to stay healthy moving forward. The only player that the Vikings signed in free agency that could potentially have his rehab extend into training camp is Rondale Moore, as the receiver continues to recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The return of Harrison Smith and why it matters There was an unwritten rule that existed between O’Connell and Harrison Smith this offseason when it came to the possibility of retirement. They were allowed to communicate so long as football didn’t come up in any way, shape or form. There were some text messages about golf here and there and some phone calls about life in general. “He called me one morning and said, ‘Hey Bossman, I think I’ve got one more in me,'” O’Connell said. “I was like, ‘Am I allowed to talk about football yet?'” Nobody was more excited than O’Connell that Smith ultimately decided to delay retirement for a little while longer. “He’s a huge part of who I am as a coach,” O’Connell said. “He’s a huge part of what we’ve built together in Minnesota.” It can’t be overstated how much Smith means to everything Brian Flores wants to do on defense. Never mind that Smith is in the twilight of his career. He still plays virtually every snap and proved last season that he can still make an impact. “Just having him back is massive,” O’Connell said. “He’s a really good player and brings so much.” The depth at cornerback behind Byron Murphy Jr. It was important for the Vikings to find a way to keep Byron Murphy Jr. They did that by coming to the table and signing Murphy to a lucrative contract that makes him among the highest-paid players at his position. The addition of Isaiah Rodgers shouldn’t be overlooked, however, especially considering Flores identified him as a target in the early stages of free agency. “When he has that tone in his voice about guys, he has been pretty darn accurate,” O’Connell said. “No pressure on Isaiah.” That Flores was so bullish on Rodgers comes with its own set of expectations. No longer can Rodgers live in obscurity. He’s going to be expected to take the next step in his career as soon as he starts getting reps with the starters. Aside from Murphy and Rodgers, the Vikings also signed Jeff Okudah, who joins a group that also includes Mekhi Blackmon and Dwight McGlothern. “Our roster is pretty full at that position right now,” O’Connell said. “It’s going to be competitive throughout the spring.” The plan heading into the draft There are a number of ways the Vikings could use the No. 24 pick. They could trade down and add more draft capital. They could stay put and take the best player available. The optionality is something the Vikings suddenly have as a luxury after addressing so many weaknesses in free agency. “I think the best player available is good at some positions,” O’Connell said. “We don’t want the best player available to have such a tremendous roadblock in front of them to getting on the field.” Essentially, if the Vikings decide to use the No. 24 pick on a player, they want that player to be able to come in and make their presence felt as soon as possible.