Potential Vikings RB Target Is Off the Board
A potential running back option for the Vikings is now off the market. The Dallas Cowboys re-signed their top runner, Javonte Williams, to a new deal, the franchise announced.
With free agency just a few weeks away, the Minnesota Vikings are surely preparing to make a few moves, both with the players under contract and with pending free agents. A potential running back target for the club is now off the market.
He inked a three-year, $24 million contract. Among running back salaries, that $8 million annually ranks him in the middle of the pack. He was probably worth more based on his 2025 season, but the previous years of inconsistent play lowered his leverage.
Williams rushed for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns, just a year after recording only 513 yards and four scores in Denver. He played on a one-year, $3 million contract in 2025 and certainly won that bet.
The veteran could’ve been intriguing for the Vikings, as many fans hope the franchise will add some more juice to the backfield. At 25, he still brings youth to the table, despite having a proven track record.
Minnesota still has its running back duo of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason under contract for 2026. The latter is pretty safe given his contract, but Jones could be a cap casualty. Releasing him would save $7.75 million and the Vikings enter the final weeks leading up to free agency with a cap burden they have to get rid of.
Jones was still reasonably explosive when available in 2025, but he is 31 and isn’t getting any younger. The smart way to deal with running backs is to part ways with them a year too early rather than a year too late, as the cliff could await at any point. Injuries have also been a problem in his recent years.
The one-time Pro Bowler rushed for 548 yards and two touchdowns in his second season with the Vikings. He appeared in only 12 games and recorded the lowest yards per attempt of his career.
Of course, releasing Jones would open a hole on the roster. Fortunately, a hole at running back is fairly easy to close, either in the draft or in free agency.
This year’s free agency group still features Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, explosive Jets back Breece Hall, Travis Etienne of the Jaguars, and several other backs. Williams’ deal could also lower those guys’ price tag.
NBC Sports’ Mike Florio noted, “The Williams contract gives other teams a data point that will become relevant to their negotiations with running backs. The other players who’ll be trying to get paid (Kenneth Walker III, Breece Hall, Travis Etienne, Rico Dowdle, Rachaad White, Isiah Pacheco, JK Dobbins) will have to deal with the argument that a guy who rushed for 1,200 yards in 2025 got only $8 million per year. (The counter would include that Williams isn’t much of a factor in the passing game, and that he lacks breakaway speed.)”
The draft class, headlined by Jeremiyah Love, is viewed as one of the weaker ones, but there are still some intriguing names available on Days 2 and 3.
Kevin O’Connell’s Vikings offense has never been run-driven, but maybe this is the offseason that changes that. Of course, the quarterback problems should dictate the offensive approach and handing the ball off to the running backs is the easiest way to work around that.
The Vikings ranked 27th in the NFL with 410 rushing attempts in 2025, but at least efficiency improved. Minnesota’s 4.5 yards per attempt ranked them just outside of the top ten. According to advanced numbers such as EPA/Rush (15th) and DVOA (13th), they are trending in the right direction after subpar results in previous campaigns.
At this point, the roster is still set at RB1 and RB2, but if Jones is indeed shown the door, the Vikings will be immediate landing spots for all pending free agents and draft prospects at the running back position.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.