The Minnesota Vikings are the final undefeated team in the NFL this season, but make no mistake, this team is far from perfect. While the Vikings’ defense has taken the league by storm, their offense remains a work in progress, with Kyler Murray struggling to find his footing under center.
Minnesota has done a good job of surrounding Murray with a strong supporting cast in the air, but on the ground, the team is reportedly looking for upgrades. Perhaps the best running back available across the league is Indianapolis Colts superstar Jonathan Taylor, and according to a new report, it sounds like the Vikings are one of the frontrunners for his services on the trade market.
Vikings Emerge as Favorite in Jonathan Taylor Trade Talks
Minnesota entered the year opting to lean on Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason as its top running back duo, but that plan hasn’t worked too well to this point. Mason has only played in two games thanks to a broken thumb, and while Jones has held down the fort in his absence, the Vikings don’t want to put too much tread on the soon-to-be-32-year-old’s tires before the postseason.
That is why Taylor could wind up being such a good fit for this team. A three-time Pro Bowler, Taylor is one of the best running backs in the league when he is at his best. He’s been bogged down a bit by Indianapolis’ lackluster offense to this point, but he has still managed to put up some decent numbers through seven games (140 CAR, 587 YDS, 8 TD).
Taylor could help take some of the pressure off Murray under center, which would open things up for the Vikings offense. Unsurprisingly, a handful of teams have shown interest in trading for Taylor, and while Minnesota can’t currently fit Taylor onto its roster given its salary cap constraints right now, it is still viewed as one of the favorites to land him ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.
“The Vikings and Giants appear to be the favorites to land him if he’s dealt, but he can’t fit under Minnesota’s cap right now. So either the Vikings would have to rearrange a deal or two, or the Colts would have to eat some of his salary, which would likely drive the price up for the acquiring team,” Jonathan Jones of The Athletic reported.
Should the Vikings Trade for Jonathan Taylor?
Even with a struggling offense, the Vikings have proven themselves to be a Super Bowl contender this season, so if they could upgrade this unit, why wouldn’t they? There aren’t many players who could help Minnesota right now, but Taylor is one of the exceptions, as he’s good enough to carry an offense on his own, even if Murray continues to struggle under center.
It seems like the Taylor trade sweepstakes won’t get settled until next week, which means the Vikings will have to try to find a way to win with their current crop of running backs in Week 8. They have a tough matchup on their hands against the Detroit Lions, so even if they get Taylor, they might have already suffered their first loss by the time he makes his way to town.
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