Najee Harris has become a sudden darling in the Minnesota Vikings rumor mill.
Vikings Mentioned Again as Landing Spot for Pro Bowl RB
Bleacher Report mentioned the Vikings as a landing spot for Harris, 26, earlier this week, and now The 33rd Team has followed suit.
Harris will be a free agent in March, along with teammate Jaylen Warren, who plays the same position. One or both could grab a change of NFL scenery this offseason. The 33rd Team‘s Tyler Brooke explained Minnesota as a fit on Wednesday: “Now that Jones is a free agent, Harris could be a fun replacement for him. The former first-round pick has been heavily utilized in the passing game in the past, including a 74-catch season as a rookie in 2021. In his four NFL seasons, he’s caught 180 passes for 1,149 yards and six touchdowns.”
For now, the purple team will enter the offseason with two running backs attached to the budget in 2025: Ty Chandler and Zavier Scott. Those men may not even make the active roster late in August, so fundamental RB change is around the bend.
“Kevin O’Connell is one of the best offensive minds in the NFL, and he knows a thing or two about utilizing veteran running backs. The Minnesota Vikings brought Aaron Jones in on a one-year deal, and he has an instant impact on their offense. He ran the ball 255 times for 1,138 yards and five touchdowns, adding another 408 yards and two scores as a pass catcher out of the backfield,” Brooke added about Minnesota’s state of play.
Jones played rather well for the Vikings this season, but he’ll turn 31 next December, and it’s unlikely he will improve. It’s worth noting that Jones has expressed his desire to retire with the Vikings, however.
Brooke concluded about Harris to Minnesota: “Harris could come to Minnesota and take on an increased workload in the run game while still providing value as a pass-catching threat. This might be the dream landing spot for Harris, provided that the Vikings are able to get a fair deal for the upcoming free agent.”
This is the Vikings’ rushing efficiency per DVOA from the last three years, dating back to the start of the Kevin O’Connell era:
- 2022: 27th
- 2023: 27th
- 2024: 20th
Repair is obviously needed, and Minnesota’s offense could fully thrive if O’Connell can nudge the rushing game efficiency into the Top 10 or 12.
Harris has rushed for over 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons, a beacon of consistency while never quite showcasing a Saquon Barkley-like level of electricity. Put plainly, Harris is always pretty decent.
He could also contribute to the purple team because he blocks against the pass. That seems like a prerequisite for Minnesota’s running backs as of late and is one reason general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has traded for Cam Akers in consecutive seasons.
If Minnesota prefers a rookie tailback over Harris or Jones, these players could be available after the draft’s 1st Round:
- Kaleb Johnson (Iowa)
- Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State)
- TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State)
- Ollie Gordon II (Oklahoma State)
- Devin Neal (Kansas)
- Dylan Sampson (Tennessee)
NFL free agency is less than six weeks away. Other notable running backs (not named Najee Harris) include Javonte Williams, J.K. Dobbins, and Rico Dowdle.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.