The Minnesota Vikings are candidates to trade for a running back for several reasons, not the least of which is a left knee injury to Aaron Jones Sr. that knocked the team’s most consequential RB out of Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts.
But despite Jones heading for an MRI on Monday, October 26, head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters that the team does not necessarily view the position group as deficient on depth moving forward.
“I feel good about the room, and we’ll meet as a staff and get together with [GM] Nolan [Teasley] here and talk through that, what it looks like,” O’Connell said. “But with where Aaron’s at and where we feel coming out of the game, I don’t necessarily see it as a depth issue at all. But obviously, things could change as we go day-to-day here.”
Injured RB Aaron Jones Sr. Has Been Among Few Bright Spots on Vikings Offense This Season
Based on O’Connell’s comments, Minnesota’s immediate plan is to do nothing. But that doesn’t feel like where this team is now or where it should be going, specifically on offense.
Quarterback Kyler Murray was underwhelming again in Week 6. It doesn’t appear like the Vikings are going to field an above-average pass game at any point this season, even with Justin Jefferson leading the wide receiver group and O’Connell’s assurances that the offense is “not that far off” following a 16-point output against the Colts.
Meanwhile, RB Jordan Mason played his second full game of the year with similar results to his first against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1. Mason produced 15 carries for 68 yards on Sunday after putting up 59 yards and one TD on 15 carries against Green Bay.
Minnesota has leaned on an overworked Jones for most of its 6-0 start, sparingly using sixth-round rookie Demond Claiborne or DeeJay Dallas who the Vikings added via free agency in early September.
Vikings Should Accept Facts of Subpar Offense, Make Blockbuster Trade to Put Super Bowl in Sights
O’Connell — an offensive guru who has built prolific units around the likes of Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold and even Nick Mullens — seems almost as if he’s in denial about the state of the offense and its ceiling. And that’s a blind spot that could crush what is otherwise a Super Bowl-caliber team.
Minnesota is 29th in overall offense through six games/seven weeks, putting up 281.7 yards per outing. Only the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans are worse. The Vikings are also scoring just 20.8 points per contest, which is good enough for 23rd league-wide.
There is not much the team can do to improve the air attack beyond continuing to develop Murray in O’Connell’s system and hope that he improves. But Minnesota can make blockbuster trade offers for the like of Colts RB Jonathan Taylor or Eagles RB Saquon Barkley to solidify the run game in 2026 and beyond, as both Mason and Jones are playing in contract years.
Either Taylor or Barkley will certainly prove expensive, but when does it make sense to spend assets on a win-now player if not as the NFL’s last undefeated team dealing with an injury to its best running back and serious questions about the offense in general?
Vikings Announce Plans at RB Amid Aaron Jones’ Injury