We know that the Minnesota Vikings are currently at a crossroads. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is entering his third offseason with the team and has the resources and ability to truly shape this team in whatever way he wants.
After going 7-10 in 2023 to follow up a 13-4 NFC North winning campaign, there are a lot of questions that he needs to answer and the offensive backfield is arguably the biggest one.
We all know that the quarterback position is the biggest one, but running back is just as big. Neither Alexander Mattison nor Ty Chandler have proven enough to set themselves apart as the starting running back for the future. Chandler has a better chance since he has the ability and explosiveness but there are real questions about if he can ever be consistent.
In free agency, the Vikings could look to sign a running back to help fix the running game. Here are nine options representing different levels of commitment.
Derrick Henry
Henry would be an attempt to swing for the fences and it likely wouldn’t be for a long-term deal. Henry just turned 30 years old and is coming off a 1,167-yard, 12-touchdown season. He thrives in a zone scheme but can run any kind of concept that you would throw at him with his abnormal size and explosiveness combination. Would it be the right fit for Kevin O’Connell’s offense? Not necessarily, but you could adapt to make it work for a player of his caliber.
Saquon Barkley
Barkley is the crown jewel of this class. He is only entering his seventh season in the NFL but health is the major question when discussing a long term deal. Barkley turned 27 on February 9th, but his true dual-threat ability is both explosive and evident in more ways than one. He wanted a long-term deal from the New York Giants but that doesn’t feel as likely. He could be the answer to most of the Vikings offensive woes but is the contract worth it in terms of the salary cap? That’s the question Adofo-Mensah needs to answer.
Josh Jacobs
This is a similar shot to what the Vikings would take with both Henry and Barkley but it could be a tougher sell. Jacobs just turned 26 and emerged in a big way for the Las Vegas Raiders over the last two seasons. With the Raiders bringing back Antonio Pierce, I would expect Jacobs to return but if he’s available, finding a way to bring him in would be good on a shorter term deal.
Tony Pollard
Bringing in Pollard would be a fascinating idea for the Vikings. He brings an element where he’s been more successful catching the ball out of the backfield than running it, but a great short passing game, especially with the running back position, can make a real impact. After a down year with the Cowboys, Pollard might come a little bit cheaper than he would have last year.
Ezekiel Elliott
Elliott isn’t the sexiest option at the position but he played relatively well in his one season with the New England Patriots. He did only average 3.5 yards per carry, but the offense was a disaster and 467 of his 643 rushing yards (72.6%) were after contact. He was making things happen when nothing was there. You aren’t going to get a ton out of Elliott, but there is a baseline of success you’ll get from him that you aren’t going to get from Alexander Mattison that could be intriguing.
Devin Singletary
Singletary had a great season this past year with the Houston Texans and will only be 27 when the season starts. He took over for Dameon Pierce and ran for 898 yards on 4.2 yards per carry while also catching 30 passes for 193 yards. He will give you a solid baseline at the position with the ability to succeed on three downs.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire
What do we do with Edwards-Helaire? He got buried on the Kansas City Chiefs’ depth chart by Isiah Pacheco in his third season and only averaged 3.2 yards per carry in 2023. Since his rookie season where he had 608 snaps, Edwards-Helaire didn’t cross the 400-snap threshold. Is there something that can be extracted from Edwards-Helaire that the Chiefs couldn’t? It’s unlikely but maybe a different offense and more opportunity could provide a renaissance for the dollar amount.
J.K. Dobbins
This is a very high-upside pick that carries a lot of baggage. Dobbins has had multiple season-ending injuries in the form of a torn ACL and torn Achilles tendon. The upside he had coming out of Ohio State was evident but the injuries he’s dealt with were brutal and could be physically shot. However, a minimum deal with incentives built in for performance would be a smart deal for both sides and a risk worth taking.
A.J. Dillon
Dillon is a fascinating player to take a look at in free agency. The last two years, Dillon averaged 4.2 and 4.3 yards per carry but that dropped to 3.4 this season, along with his yards after contact dropping from 3.14 to 2.90 to 2.69 over the past three years. He’s a big bruising back that can thrive in both gap and inside zone schemes, both of which the Vikings run consistently. His market will be an interesting one to watch, especially considering his size, age and only 612 career carries.
