Vikings Apparently Have a Plan B at Running Back
The Minnesota Vikings made their first roster move in 48 days when they re-signed safety Theo Jackson. At the very least, he bolsters the depth in the secondary, but he might be in the race for a starting role, considering the massive uncertainty at safety and cornerback.
Vikings Apparently Have a Plan B at Running Back
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has a long to-do list as countless contributors are slated to become free agents by Monday. On the flip side, he has the cap space to retain some of those guys or at least find capable replacements.
Among those who might say goodbye to the organization is running back Aaron Jones. The decision-makers have made it clear that they would like to have him back, but he might have a decent market after putting up over 1,500 yards from scrimmage.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said about Jones and the running back position last month: “The big thing for me is we loved having Aaron Jones; the impact he had. He was really, for the better part of his career, part of backfield committees, and for the most part, Aaron Jones was the featured back, played 17 games, he was able to be durable, over 1,500 yards all-purpose for us, catching the ball out of the backfield, running it at an elite level, so I would love to have Aaron back.”
But the NFL is a business and if Jones ends up departing after only one season in purple, the Vikings have reportedly set their sights on Steelers rusher Najee Harris.
KSTP’s Darren Wolfson said on SKOR North this week: “I don’t think the Vikings are going beyond $7 million on Aaron Jones. It may even be a tick less than that. But the Vikings want Aaron Jones back. That is priority number one. If they have to pivot, if Jones ends up elsewhere, Najee Harris, my understanding is Najee Harris, a free agent, is on the Vikings’ radar. And then you can draft one, too.”
Most would agree that Jones and Harris are the two premier running backs in this year’s free agency class, a class that doesn’t match up well with last year’s group that included Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs.
Harris came into the NFL as a first-rounder in 2021. The Steelers invested a valuable draft pick, and in return, they got four seasons of consistent play from one of the most reliable players in the NFL. The man who will turn 27 on Sunday has yet to miss a game in his NFL journey, having played in all 68 regular season games and three in the postseason for Mike Tomlin’s Steelers.
In his first year in the league, Harris went to the Pro Bowl after rushing for 1,200 yards, and in his last three campaigns, he rushed for a yardage total between 1,034 and 1,043 yards. Just as consistent has been the number of touchdowns with seven (twice), six, and eight.
The problem with his statistical resume is the fact that he hasn’t eclipsed 4.1 yards per carry in a single season. Just for comparison, Jones just rushed for 4.5 yards per carry.
Long story short, Harris doesn’t get hurt, and he isn’t a flashy runner with big plays all over the place, but he can consistently get some yards.
Pro Football Focus has projected him to sign a three-year deal worth $34.5 million.
The Vikings will likely sign at least one running back in free agency, and another one could follow in the draft. Harris is on Minnesota’s radar.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt