The Minnesota Vikings‘ run game lacks a player who is clearly an RB1. Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason, once he returns from injury, are solid options, but the Vikings lack that home-run hitter who can take over a game on the ground.
Jones had a solid performance with 20 carries for 94 rushing yards and averaging 4.7 yards on the ground in the Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins. As a result, there’s trade speculation as to whether Minnesota will make a move for a running back around the trade deadline.
While that’s a possibility, The Athletic’s Vikings reporter, Alec Lewis, doesn’t see that game-changing back being available at the deadline. When examining the 0-4 teams as potential sellers, none of the teams have a game-breaker on an expiring contract that they might be willing to trade.
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.”
There Aren’t Many Running Back Options
Pollard has recorded four straight seasons of over 1,000 rushing yards from the 2022 season, his lone Pro Bowl campaign, to the 2025 season. While the 29-year-old might not be that dynamic running back, he can be an RB1.
Nonetheless, after Pollard, the running back options are slim at the deadline, barring the Vikings wanting to give up significant draft assets for someone like the Los Angeles Chargers‘ Omarion Hampton.
“The calls could be made on players like Omarion Hampton in Los Angeles or maybe even Bucky Irving in Tampa Bay, but some of these teams are so invested in the short term that moving off their primary starting running back is just a hard thing to assess,“ Lewis added.
Titans’ Tony Pollard Would Be a Fit for the Vikings
Meanwhile, Matt Reed of The Big Lead is one of the people seeing Pollard as an option for Minnesota to help boost their rushing attack in the short term.
“Minnesota is 4-0 despite having one of the worst offenses in the NFL. Running back Aaron Jones has been efficient without Jordan Mason on the field, but Pollard would be a huge upgrade at the position,“ Reed wrote in an Oct. 6 article.
“Pollard’s topped 1,000 yards in each of the past four seasons, and he could create some matchup troubles for opposing defenses when receiver Justin Jefferson returns from his left ankle injury.”
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