The Minnesota Vikings‘ running back situation right now relies on Aaron Jones, with Jordan Mason currently on injured reserve with a fractured thumb. Despite being in his 30s, Jones answered the call in Week 4.
Jones had a solid performance with 20 carries for 94 rushing yards and averaging 4.7 yards on the ground in the win over the Miami Dolphins. As a result, there’s speculation as to whether Minnesota will make a move for a running back around the trade deadline.
The trade deadline is still over a month away on Nov. 10, but even with a handful of weeks of football still to be played, that isn’t stopping the speculation. In an Oct. 7 article, FanSided’s Zachary Rotman shared the best landing spot for the players who are likely to be moved in the coming weeks.
Heading into Week 5, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 0-4, and at this point the team has to start looking at veterans to move for draft assets. One potential player who could be on the move is running back Kenneth Gainwell.
For Gainwell, Rotman sees the Vikings, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles as potential landing spots for the 27-year-old running back. Since coming into the league in 2021, Gainwell has played 87 games while recording 407 carries for 1,748 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per attempt, and 17 touchdowns, per Pro-Football-Reference.
Buccaneers Urged to Make Kenneth Gainwell Trade
Gainwell’s best season came during the 2025 campaign with the Pittsburgh Steelers, recording 114 carries for 537 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per attempt, and five touchdowns.
As a result, Rotman explained why he sees Gainwell as a potential trade chip for a team needing to bolster their running back situation.
“There isn’t much for the Bucs to offer in terms of expiring contracts, and they probably don’t want to offload a veteran like Vita Vea, but what about Kenny Gainwell?” Rotman wrote. “The Bucs don’t have to trade him, as he’s under contract through the 2027 campaign, but he has just 13 rushing attempts for 26 yards this season, showing that he’s been inefficient and rarely used.
“If Tampa can get a draft pick for him in a lost year, why not do so? Backup running backs, especially ones averaging two yards per carry on minimal work, are easily replaceable, and given his successful 2025 campaign in Pittsburgh, he might have a market.”
Vikings Insider Questions Whether Tony Pollard Makes Sense
Meanwhile, the Tennessee Titans‘ Tony Pollard will be one of the names likely available at the deadline in regards to running backs. Nonetheless, for Lewis, Pollard isn’t the type of running back that the Vikings are lacking.
“There are obviously a bunch of 0-4 teams,” Lewis said on the Oct. 6 edition of “The Alec Lewis Show.” “Some of those teams have some running back talent. Probably the most expected running back trade candidate is Tony Pollard in Tennessee. I’ve watched a little bit of the tape. He doesn’t have a ton of explosive runs.
“How much of that is the dynamic of the Titans’ offensive line? You can kind of litigate that, but he is in the final year of his contract. The Titans are a team that just appears to be destined for a disastrous season. So, he’d be a candidate.”
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