One Vikings Draft Plan Just Became Clear as Day
When the offseason began, a handful of noteworthy running backs were slated to test free agency: Breece Hall, Kenneth Walker III, Javonte Williams, Travis Etienne, and JK Dobbins. Fast forward to the second day of free agency, and none are available. They’re gone. If the Minnesota Vikings want an RB upgrade, especially after cutting Aaron Jones, the draft is the only RB1 game left in town, assuming no blockbuster trade is on the horizon.
Minnesota’s backfield blueprint is pointing toward April.
The writing is on the wall: Minnesota appears poised to draft a rookie running back sometime early for the first time since 2019.
Free Agency Shuffle Leaves Minnesota Eyeing Rookie Running Back
The Vikings showed their hand.
Who Went Where
It was a toss-up whether the Vikings would splurge on a free-agent tailback; the evidence pointed toward yes after news leaked last week that Jones would be released.
Instead, Minnesota has signed zero new running backs. The main options went to these new clubs:
- Travis Etienne: Jaguars → Saints
- Kenneth Walker III: Seahawks → Chiefs
- JK Dobbins: Chargers → Broncos
- Kenneth Gainwell: Steelers → Buccaneers
- Rico Dowdle: Panthers → Steelers
- Tyler Allgeier: Falcons → Cardinals
Not for nothing, the Vikings were allegedly interested in Etienne, as The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini tweeted, “The Saints are signing former Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, per sources. The Jacksonville Jaguars wanted to retain the Louisiana native. The Broncos and Vikings were also interested.”
Overall, the top RB names are off the board.
The Remaining FA Options
Meanwhile, the Vikings are not wholly disqualified from signing a running back; it’s just that heavy hitters are no longer available.
Minnesota could rather easily sign one of these men this week:
- Michael Carter
- Austin Ekeler
- Najee Harris
- Joe Mixon
- Isiah Pacheco
- Brian Robinson
- Rachaad White
Pacheco, for example, may still have some upside. He would slide onto the purple depth chart as an RB2.
Our Kyle Joudry wrote Tuesday about White, previously a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, as a possible fit: “Jordan Mason is a rugged, physical runner. Don’t be surprised if he ends up being the RB1. What would be surprising is if he isn’t supported by an established RB2. White has done reasonably impressive work catching the ball in the past (an area of weakness for Mason). Across his career, White has turned 230 targets into 205 catches for 1,450 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s 27.”
White or Pacheco might be the last two men standing who would excite the fan base, though neither man would be slated as an RB1.
The RBs from the Draft
Which brings us to the natural section for a prospective RB1: the draft. The Vikings have nine picks in 2026; last year at this time — during a deep-deep RB class — Minnesota had just five picks.
Before the end of Round 4, the Vikings could pounce on one of these prospects:
- Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame)
- Jadarian Price (Notre Dame)
- Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas)
- Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)
- Jonah Coleman (Washington)
- Nick Singleton (Penn State)
- Kaytron Allen (Penn State)
Love might fly over the board in Top 5 or Top 8, so he could be crossed off the list. The rest? Those players will be available to Minnesota.
Washington Jr.’s stock climbed after the Combine because of intense 4..3 speed. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein on Washington Jr: “Washington made stops at three different colleges and showed improvement with each move to a new school. He’s fast with loose hips and adequate agility. He’s not very sudden in tight quarters and is a step slow to see it and go when the hole opens.”
“He can glide and swerve around interior traffic once he’s on the move, though. He has breakaway speed in the open field and is capable as an inside/outside runner. Running to his size with a greater degree of aggressiveness will be the key as he makes the jump. Washington has the traits and talent to become a solid rotational back.”
The Vikings’ In-House RB Setup
Why is this an issue? Pretty simple — the Vikings’ RB room is thin. It’s these two guys:
- Jordan Mason
- Zavier Scott
Running back Ty Chandler, who’s been a part of the club since 2022, remains a free agent. In theory, he could return, but Minnesota never seemed overly high on him in the first place.
The NFL Draft is about six weeks away, where all clues point to a Vikings’ tailback selection. That man would compete at training camp for a meaningful role and hopefully snag the RB1 job before too long.
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