Another RB Question Is Brewing in Minnesota

The Minnesota Vikings have needed an infusion of young talent at the running back position since the departure of Dalvin Cook. There was a belief that Alexander Mattison could be the answer, but that flopped. Ty Chandler was a long shot, and he never panned out either.

Rather than run things back with Aaron Jones last year, the Vikings opted to bring in Jordan Mason from the San Francisco 49ers. Having filled in plenty previously for the oft-injured Christian McCaffrey, Mason brought quite the track record to U.S. Bank Stadium.

Minnesota’s Backfield Outlook Faces Another Potential Shift

In 2026, the Vikings found a path to retain Jones, and they still have Mason under contract. There’s a real need to infuse young talent in the organization, but they could swing for even more. Fox Sports columnist Ralph Vacchiano recently suggested a trade for De’Von Achane.

There’s no denying that Achane would be a great fit in the Vikings offense, and he’d likely take over the top of the depth chart. The only question is whether there is room for three talents of that ilk as things stand currently.

Had the Vikings not brought back Jones, this seems like a much more straightforward fit. With Jones in tow, though, you have three running backs all worth of real reps, and there isn’t a path to playing time for them all. That’s before even considering that Kevin O’Connell hasn’t leaned into the running game at any point during his coaching career.

If the Dolphins were interested in taking Jones in a swap, then clearing some playing time would make a path forward much more tenable. It’s still going to cost a second or third round pick, and the assumption of a hefty contract extension down the line. Short of additional reps, though, there are better ways to utilize roster openings.

The Vikings haven’t taken a running back in the early rounds for quite some time. They could change that by using a top 100 pick this year, and Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson (who hails from Minnesota) would easily fall into that category.

Short of shedding Jones, which could have ripple effects in the locker room at this point, it’s hard to envision the addition of another starting-caliber contender.

Ted Schwerzler is a Minneapolis based blogger that covers the Minnesota Twins and Vikings. Sharing thoughts constantly on Twitter, … More about Ted Schwerzler