The Minnesota Vikings‘ run game is hanging on, though in tenuous fashion, with Jordan Mason injured and the team asking Aaron Jones Sr. to carry an outsized workload at the age of 32, which renders the franchise a strong candidate to deal for a running back ahead of the NFL’s November 10 trade deadline.
Dustin Baker of Vikes Now suggested on Monday, October 5 that Minnesota call the Indianapolis Colts about the availability of three-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Taylor.
“His name belongs in the conversation because of Indianapolis’s draft situation. The Colts sent their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks to New York for Sauce Gardner last November,” Baker wrote. “If the next few games — at PIT, vs. TEN, at MIN — push them back under .500, recovering premium selections could move the needle.”
Vikings Face Some Obstacles, Concerns in Hypothetical Jonathan Taylor Trade
There are a couple of issues with Baker’s proposal, both of which he addressed.
The first is that Taylor is among the top five running backs in the league and has a strong argument for No. 3 behind only Bijan Robinson of the Atlanta Falcons and Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions.
Taylor, who has 353 rushing yards and six TDs on the ground as well as 10 catches for 69 receiving yards, is perhaps in a dead heat with new Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III for the final spot in the top three.
Walker has done a little more in the pass game and leads the NFL in rushing with 537 yards through four games, but he hasn’t played at a truly elite level before the Seattle Seahawks‘ playoff run last season that ended with Walker winning the Super Bowl MVP. Taylor, meanwhile, has been excellent whenever he’s been healthy over a seven-year career.
But long story short, the Colts are 2-2 and just extended Taylor in August, so trading him probably isn’t high on the list of possibilities in Indianapolis. There are also potential concerns around Taylor involving both his salary and his age.
Taylor’s contract isn’t ideal via trade. He signed a two-year, $44 million extension this offseason and carries a $16.2 million cap number in 2026. His 2027 salary doesn’t become guaranteed until February, which would at least give an acquiring team some flexibility beyond this season. The age deserves attention, too. Taylor turns 28 in January, an awkward neighborhood for an expensive running back.
Still, this is the player who could raise the offense’s ceiling — beyond a shadow of a doubt. … Pair Taylor with a healthy Mason later in the season, and O’Connell could cook.
Aaron Jones Sr. Averaging 23 Touches Per Game Since Jordan Mason Went Down With Thumb Fracture
There are other options out there for the Vikings, including less expensive and more gettable options like James Conner of the Arizona Cardinals (1-3) or Keaton Mitchell of the Los Angeles Chargers (0-4).
The Vikings have struggled to pass the football or to score with the offense on the field, with just one offensive TD in the past three games. Meanwhile, Jones is averaging 20 carries per contest and 23 touches per game over the last three outings since Mason went down with a fractured thumb.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell offered some good news regarding Mason on the “Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday.
“We should be getting Jordan Mason back after the bye, you know, Christian Darrisaw, some other players,” O’Connell said.
Minnesota will take on the Saints in New Orleans next Sunday and then gets a week off before returning to action against the aforementioned Colts at U.S. Bank Stadium on October 25.
Vikings Urged to Trade for $44 Million Pro Bowl RB Amid Jordan Mason Injury