Veteran running back James Conner doesn’t have a return date yet, but it might not be long before he’s back on the field again for the Arizona Cardinals. Or, could he potentially come back with a new team such as the Minnesota Vikings?
It might not be out of the realm of possibility. Heavy Sports proposes the Vikings offer a 2027 sixth-round pick in exchange for Conner.
The 31-year-old running back has spent the past five seasons with the Cardinals. Last season, he played in three contests before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. The running back has also played four campaigns with the Pittsburgh Steelers during his career.
Conner made the Pro Bowl for the first time with the Steelers in 2018. He also made the Pro Bowl during 2021 with the Cardinals.
When healthy again, Conner could be an option for the Vikings because the team might be in search of running back depth before the NFL trade deadline. Minnesota could also badly use a spark on offense, which Conner might be able to do for a cheap price.
Should Vikings Pursue RB James Conner Trade?
The Cardinals have yet to open Conner’s practice window to return. So, in all likelihood, he will miss a couple more games. While still out, the Vikings and other teams might not have much interest in acquiring Conner.
But the NFL trade deadline isn’t until Tuesday, November 10 this season. Conner has another month to recover and practice before a potential trade.
While the veteran running back is 31, Conner ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of his past two full campaigns — 2023 and 2024. Over those two seasons, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry.
That’s significantly better than the roughly four yards per carry Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason have averaged this season. Mason has also only played in one game during 2026. So although Conner could provide spark, at the very least, he could just be extra depth in Minnesota with Mason’s absence.
The Vikings should be willing to give up a sixth-round pick for that possibility. Conner also won’t cost much from a financial perspective. He is on a 1-year, $3 million contract, which in a few weeks, could cost the Vikings just a little more than $2 million on a prorated basis.
Conner will be an unrestricted free agent in March.
The Cardinals could be willing to move on from Conner because they selected Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love at No. 4 overall in the first round this past spring. Arizona also added veteran running back Tyler Allgeier in free agency.
The veteran running back has rushed for 6,065 and 60 touchdowns in his career. Conner has also been a strong pass-catcher in his career, registering 289 catches, 2,255 receiving yards and 12 additional scores.
In nine NFL seasons, Conner has eclipsed the 1,200-yard from scrimmage mark three times. The Vikings could use that production. They are ranked 31st in offensive yards entering Week 5.
NFL Trade Pitch Sees Vikings Acquire Pro Bowl RB to Ignite Offense