Moneyball, Expensive, or Cheap: 3 Vikings RB Option in Free Agency

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has to navigate through a long list of free agents this offseason. Part of that group is the running back duo of Aaron Jones and Cam Akers, who will both be part of the free agency class in March.

Moneyball, Expensive or Cheap: 3 Vikings RB Option in Free Agency

Minnesota needs a new running back. While it’s fair to expect them to address the need in the draft, they undoubtedly don’t want to enter April’s event with the absolute necessity to find a new RB1. For that reason, signing a potential starting running back in March makes sense.

Here are three options.

Expensive: Aaron Jones

Perhaps a boring answer, but this year’s running back class doesn’t feature superstars like last year’s group around Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. The three most popular runners are Pittsburgh’s Najee Harris, Dallas’ Rico Dowdle, and, well, Minnesota’s Aaron Jones.

Jones is 30 years old, which is why teams won’t line up to hand him a long-term contract. Still, he was solid in 2024, gaining over 1,500 yards from scrimmage for the Vikings as a clear-cut upgrade over his predecessor, Alexander Mattison.

The veteran can likely be had for a contract worth about $7 million a year, which mirrors his contract value in 2024. He is the best running back on the market, and head coach Kevin O’Connell has already indicated his interest in bringing the former Packer back to the Twin Cities.

Cheap: Javonte Williams

But what if the Vikings don’t want a clear starting running back and, instead, opt to go after a ball-carrier who is better suited as an RB2? Javonte Williams could be that guy.

A 2021 second-rounder of the Denver Broncos, Williams showed enormous promise in his debut season, but a torn ACL in 2022 has slowed him down. He has never been the same, but he is only 24 years old and is a decent do-it-all running back who can block, catch, and run.

In Denver, he was stuck in a three-way committee and gained 1,861 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns in the last two seasons under Sean Payton. He will be cheap after posting averages of 3.6 and 3.7 yards per carry in those two campaigns, but a different situation and another year removed from his injury might do the trick.

Moneyball: J.K. Dobbins

And then there is the Kwesi category. Minnesota’s GM seems to always be on the hunt for free agents who have shown talent but have been slowed down by injuries or competition. Williams might also fit this category, but Dobbins has been much more dynamic recently.

Actually, Dobbins has been a dynamic running back ever since he entered the league in 2020, but injuries cost him the entire 2021 season, half of the 2022 campaign, and all but one contest in 2023. Last year, when most were ready to bury his NFL career, Dobbins played in 13 games with the Chargers, only missing games with a sprained MCL.

He rushed for 905 yards and nine touchdowns on 195 carries (4.6 yards per carry) and added 153 receiving yards. If healthy, Dobbins is a homerun threat every time he touches the ball. Betting on health isn’t something Adofo-Mensah has shied away from.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.

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