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The Vikings Have a Real Path to the NFL’s Top Free Agent RB

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Jets RB Breece Hall in 2022
Sep 11, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets running back Breece Hall (20) warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.

The Minnesota Vikings don’t necessarily have oodles of spending money on hand for free agency, but if they find some, the organization has a clear connection to New York Jets running back Breece Hall. Before joining the Vikings in 2025, new offensive line coach Keith Carter served as the Jets’ run game coordinator, and it really doesn’t get any closer to Hall than that from a coach’s perspective.

If Minnesota wants more juice from the ground game, Hall fits the profile, and he has a previous connection to the Vikings’ new OL coach.

Hall won’t be cheap, but Minnesota has a real shot at landing his services if interim general manager Rob Brzezinski is in the mood.

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A New Decision Looms in the Vikings’ Backfield

It’s another name for your Vikings’ free-agent bingo board.

Breece Hall running the ball against the Broncos. Vikings Breece Hall free agency.
New York Jets running back Breece Hall lowers his shoulder while navigating traffic at MetLife Stadium, captured during first-half action on Sep 29, 2024, as Denver’s Nik Bonitto closes in. The play reflects Hall’s balance and burst through contact, a consistent trait in his workload-heavy role within the Jets’ offense. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Hall to MIN with Carter Promoted?

Carter drew scorn on social media from former Tennessee Titans players a while back, but that didn’t stop the Vikings from hiring him as an assistant offensive line coach last offseason. And when the 2026 offseason rolled around, head coach Kevin O’Connell opted not to retain main offensive line coach Chris Kuper.

That put Carter in the driver’s seat to earn the top OL job in Minnesota, which he fulfilled last week.

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From 2022 to 2023, Carter was in charge of the Jets’ rushing offense, a group highlighted by Hall. Fast forward to 2026 free agency, and Hall is a free agent, expected to command about $10 million to $12 million on the open market.

So long as Hall doesn’t share any of the aforementioned resentment toward Carter and his alleged grueling practices, there’s a path for Hall to land in Minnesota via free agency. Most other Hall suitors won’t have his former coach on staff.

Hall’s Career to Date

Hall’s resume starts with availability, which matters more at running back than almost anywhere else. Outside of a rookie year injury, he’s been consistently on the field, a rarity at RB. Over four seasons, the production has followed: 681 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2022, 1,585 and 9 in 2023, 1,359 and 8 in 2024, then 1,415 yards with 5 scores in 2025. He’s sitting on a 4.5 yards-per-carry career average.

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Minnesota, though, would draw little pushback if it found a way to add him. The Vikings know what that level of output looks like, but the money is tight. That matters, especially with more than $20 million already tied up in the running back room through Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. That’s significant money for the RB spot.

The 2025 rushing attack was serviceable, but it never dominated opponents. O’Connell leaned pass-heavy even when quarterback play faltered, and the ground game never forced defenses to adjust. The draft remains the cleanest long-term answer, yet Hall offers something different: certainty. He’s not a rookie, and he removes draft guesswork. Minnesota would onboard a sure thing in Hall.

Sportsnaut‘s Andrew Buller-Hall on Hall to MIN: “The Vikings should make a strong play for free agent Breece Hall this offseason. Minnesota could have an inside line to signing Hall after promoting OL coach Keith Carter, Hall’s running game coordinator from 2023 to 2024. Yet, other teams will surely have interest in Hall after he compiled a career-high 1,065 rushing yards this season.”

“Hall’s longest rush this season went for 59 yards, and he averaged 4.4 yards per carry. He’d also help replace Jones in the passing game, giving Vikings QBs another option out of the backfield. He’d surely be an upgrade over Jones, especially if the Vikings can still pair Hall with Mason to form an extremely effective 1-2 punch. Not only would that duo help take pressure off whoever plays QB for the Vikings in 2026, it might be one of the best rushing tandems in the NFL.”

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Getting Serious about Fixing the Rushing Offense

These are the numbers for the Vikings’ rushing offense since the arrival of O’Connell four years ago:

Vikings Rushing Offense,
Rush Playcall % | Rush EPA/Play,
NFL Ranking:

2025: 19th | 15th
2024: 18th | 14th
2023: 30th | 18th
2022: 30th | 18th

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O’Connell has never featured a game-changing running back. Dalvin Cook had begun his age-related decline in 2022. Alexander Mattison stunk in 2023. Ty Chandler and Cam Akers are backup tailbacks. Aaron Jones represented a refreshingly productive alternative, but he’s over the age of 30. Jordan Mason is a wonderful roster piece, but is more of a mid-tier RB1 — or elite RB2.

Breece Hall gaining yards after the catch
New York Jets running back Breece Hall accelerates upfield after securing a pass at MetLife Stadium, shown in early action on Sep 24, 2023, against New England. The moment highlights Hall’s versatility as a receiver, turning short touches into chunk gains while stressing linebackers and safeties in space. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

It’s time for O’Connell — now a de facto general manager, too — to sign Hall or draft a high-round rookie running back. Don’t leave it until Round 5 for half-measured solutions.

Other Options if Not Hall

For the sake of argument, let’s assume Minnesota will pursue a free-agent running back, but Hall is not interested in the Vikings. These high-profile halfbacks are also scheduled to test free agency:

  • JK Dobbins
  • Travis Etienne
  • Isiah Pacheco
  • Kenneth Walker
  • Rachaad White
  • Javonte Williams
Travis Etienne Jr. running on the field pregame
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. jogs across the field during pregame warmups at EverBank Stadium, framed ahead of kickoff on Dec 15, 2024. The image captures Etienne’s readiness and routine as Jacksonville prepared its offensive personnel, emphasizing tempo and focus before divisional competition at home. Mandatory Credit: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

That’s about seven prominent free agents and arguably 5-6 rookie running backs who could move the needle as an RB1.

Now, it’s up to Minnesota to decide if these options are wiser than Jones + Mason again in 2026.

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Sports

Catch and Tame: A beginner’s guide

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Catch and Tame is a tycoon simulator on Roblox in which you throw a lasso to catch animals from different areas of the map. These animals can then be placed at your pen to start generating some income over time. By collecting and using this money, you can purchase better lassos, EXP-gaining food items, and several buildings that’ll help you progress faster.

In this guide, we’ll discuss everything that you must know about this animal-catching game.


Everything that you must know about Catch and Tame

A pet pen (Image via Roblox)A pet pen (Image via Roblox)
A pet pen (Image via Roblox)

Developed by Manta Games, Catch and Tame allows you to explore a map, throw the Lasso to catch wild animals, Tame them by completing a minigame, and place them on your base to generate income. Here’s everything that’s important to know before you obtain your first animal:

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Pen

As you spawn into the game for the first time, you’ll be allotted a pet pen where you can place all your tamed animals. Upon placing, each animal will start generating money with time that you can collect to access several other features.

At the start, you’ll be able to place only eight animals at your base, while this capacity can be increased by upgrading your fence (using the in-game currency) and expanding the base.

Catching and Taming

To catch your first pet, you have to explore the map and search for an animal that falls within your Lasso’s catching power. Next, you have to tap on the Lasso icon, available at the bottom of your screen, and throw it towards the creature to catch it. Once caught, a taming minigame will start in which you have to tap until the meter at the bottom fills up.

Once you’ve tamed the pet, you can move ahead to place it on your pen and start earning money.

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Lassos

Near the gate of your base, you’ll find a shop that allows you to purchase Lassos of different strengths. Here’s a list of all the Lasso that you can purchase:

  • Basic Lasso
  • Rancher’s Rope
  • Metal Lasso
  • Steelcoil Lasso
  • Stormwrangler
  • Sunforged Lasso
  • Nightveil Lasso
  • Voidweave Lasso
  • Celestial Tether
  • Nebula Lasso
  • Fragmented Lasso
  • Blackhole Lasso

Buildings

From the shop, you can also purchase some buildings that’ll help you grow faster in this game. Here’s a list of them all:

  • Farm House: A farmhouse to store your pets.
  • Animal Post: Attach your animals to the post to keep them in place.
  • Nursery: Eggs in the nursery hatch 20% faster.
  • Trait Machine: Roll for different traits with your pets.
  • Legendary Nursery: Eggs in the nursery hatch 50% faster with 10% more luck.
  • Cosmic Nursery: Eggs in the nursery hatch 100% faster with 20% more luck and 10% mutation luck.

Food

Feedind food to your animals will help them grow faster by gaining instant EXP. It is another item that you can purchase by accessing the shop near your base. Here’s a list of all the food items that you can purchase:

  • Farmers Feed
  • Enriched Food
  • Hay
  • Bone
  • Prime Feed
  • Steak

Breeding

By tapping on the heart-shaped icon at the bottom of your screen, you can breed two of your pets to obtain an egg. These eggs can then be placed at your base or Nursery to hatch them into rarer animals. You can also tap on the Recipes icon, placed at the left side of your screen, to discover better breeding pairs.

Also read: Save Brainrot from Lava: A beginner’s guide


Tips to dominate Catch and Tame

Here are some tips that’ll help you dominate this tycoon simulator:

  • Prioritize expanding your base as soon as possible. This will allow you to place more pets and earn more money faster.
  • Feeding food will upgrade your pet. This will enhance the pet’s money-earning stats.
  • Unlock different buildings, like the nursery, to progress faster.
  • Upgrading your Lasso with time will allow you to tame rarer animals.

Also read: Steal From Brainrots: A beginner’s guide


FAQs on Catch and Tame

What is Catch and Tame?

Catch and Tame is a Roblox tycoon simulator where players use lassos to catch wild animals, tame them through a minigame, and place them in their pen to generate passive income.

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How do you catch animals in Catch and Tame?

You need to explore the map, throw your Lasso at an animal within your lasso’s power range, and complete the taming minigame to successfully capture it.

Why can’t I catch certain animals in Catch and Tame?

Some animals require stronger Lassos. If your Lasso isn’t powerful enough, you won’t be able to catch higher-tier creatures.