EAGAN, Minn. — The 2025 season ended with a familiar thud: a 9-8 record and a rushing attack that just couldn’t stay consistent when it mattered most. While Kevin O’Connell’s offense took a step forward on the ground—finishing 23rd in yards (1,841) and 11th in yards per carry (4.5)—the backfield is flashing a massive warning light heading into the offseason.
Here is the cold, hard math: Aaron Jones is 31 years old. He played only 12 games last season, and his 2026 cap hit sits at an untenable $14.55 million. If General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah makes the expected move to clear nearly $8 million in cap space by moving on, the Vikings need a replacement immediately. They don’t just need a body; they need a difference-maker who fits O’Connell’s zone schemes without costing a first-round fortune.
The Pipe Dream. Let’s be real—Jeremiyah Love falling to the Vikings in the late teens would require a minor miracle. The Notre Dame star finished third in Heisman voting for a reason. He racked up 2,497 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns over the last two seasons, proving he isn’t just a track star in pads; he’s a legitimate workhorse.
Love runs with a rare blend of violence and sprinter speed. He hits the hole and—bang—he’s gone. While he lacks the generational wiggle of a Bijan Robinson, his ability to catch passes (over 50 receptions in two years) makes him the perfect modern weapon for O’Connell. If he slips past the top 12, Kwesi should be on the phone instantly.
The Bowling Ball. If you want a guy who refuses to go down, you want Jonah Coleman. Standing 5’9″ and a thick 228 pounds, Coleman transferred from Arizona to Washington and became a nightmare for Big Ten linebackers. He doesn’t run away from you; he runs through you.
His 2025 tape shows a player with elite contact balance. Defenders bounce off his thighs like pebbles. While his 4.58 speed won’t break land speed records, his patience behind the line is elite. He caught 31 balls last year, proving he can stay on the field for all three downs. He is likely a Day 2 pick who steps in and steals the starting job by Week 4.
The Zone Scheme Savior. Nebraska hadn’t seen a 1,000-yard rusher since 2018 until Emmett Johnson took over the backfield. He is the cleanest scheme fit for the Vikings on this list. Johnson excels in the zone run game, reading leverage and making that single, decisive cut that O’Connell’s system demands.
Johnson led all FBS running backs with 46 receptions in 2025. That stat alone should have Vikings scouts drooling. At 5’11” and 200 pounds, he isn’t the biggest back, and his pass protection needs a complete overhaul, but his ability to turn a check-down into a 15-yard gain is exactly what this offense lacked last season.
The Value Speedster. While Love grabbed the headlines, Jadarian Price quietly averaged massive efficiency numbers in South Bend. Despite playing “Robin” to Love’s “Batman,” Price turned 113 carries into a highlight reel in 2025.
He cuts in the blink of an eye. One false step by a linebacker and Price is in the secondary. The concerns are valid: he has never been a “bell cow” (rarely cracking 15 carries a game), has limited receiving production (15 catches in three years), and put the ball on the ground three times near the goal line last year. But if Minnesota wants pure explosiveness in the 4th round, Price is the gamble to make.
The Hammer. Kaytron Allen is the antithesis of flash. He is a grinder. At 5’11”, 229 pounds, he specializes in “dirty yards.” Of his 1,303 rushing yards in 2025, a staggering 792 came after contact. That ranked 16th in the entire FBS.
Allen isn’t going to outrun a safety from 50 yards out. He also offers almost nothing in the passing game (18 catches for 68 yards). But on 3rd-and-2 in December at Lambeau Field? You want Allen taking the handoff. He projects as a classic early-down banger who could complement a faster back like Ty Chandler perfectly.
“We know we have to be better running the rock. It’s not about the guys up front or the backs individually; it’s about marrying the two. We gotta find that rhythm early and keep it.” — Kevin O’Connell, Post-Season Press Conference, Jan. 2026
The Aaron Jones era was fun, but the bill has come due. The Vikings cannot afford to pay an aging back $14.5 million while trying to keep this roster competitive. Jonah Coleman makes the most sense here. He brings the physical edge Minnesota has missed since the Dalvin Cook days, but with the receiving upside to stay on the field. Expect the Vikings to target him in Round 3.
