The Minnesota Vikings are entering the NFL Draft with a multitude of needs across the board.

As things currently sit, the Vikings have clearly defined needs:

• Defensive Tackle
• Cornerback
• Safety
• Running back
• Interior Offensive Line

How they end up addressing those needs will be interesting for a variety of reasons. One thing is for sure, the Vikings will have the resources to do so. They currently have a projected $56.33 million in salary cap space via Over The Cap. Unfortunately, they only have four projected selections in the NFL Draft. 

The running game is one that desperately needs to be fixed and one interesting strategy could manifest itself in a major way come the NFL Draft.

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How the Green Bay Packers could fix the Vikings running game

The 2017 NFL Draft was one of the best running back classes in recent memory. There were 27 running backs taken in the class with a lot of major success stories.

• Leonard Fournette
• Christian McCaffrey
• Dalvin Cook
• Joe Mixon
• Alvin Kamara
• Kareem Hunt
• James Conner
• Jamaal Williams
• Marlon Mack
• Jeremy McNichols
• Aaron Jones
• Chris Carson

There was talent to be had and they made a major impression on the league over the course of the last eight years. One team decided to make a huge investment at the position because they saw the sheer depth and that was the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers took three running backs in that draft

• Jamaal Williams: 134th overall
• Aaron Jones: 182nd overall
• Devante Mays: 238th overall

The Packers were in dire straits at the running back position. Eddie Lacy had regressed heavily with only 360 yards rushing three years after winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2013. The team was led in rushing by a wide receiver convert in Ty Montgomery with 457 yards. They were in a bad spot. 

What did the Packers do? They invested heavily at the position. In return, it paid major dividends. Williams was a solid, but often injured player and Jones turned into a star at the position. So much so that the Packers gave him a four-year, $48 million contract extension.

Jones was great with the Packers, rushing for 5,940 yards and 45 touchdowns over eight seasons. Now, he got off to somewhat of a slow start with the timeshare in the backfield paired with injuries, but he broke out in 2019 with 1,084 yards and 16 touchdowns.

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Why does what the Packers did in 2017 matter? The Vikings could do the same thing with an arguably deeper stable of running backs in this class.

They aren't in dire straits like the Packers were going into the 2017 NFL Draft. However, finding solutions at the position long-term should be a priority for the Vikings. Taking two players at the position could be a huge benefit for them in terms of trying to fix the situation long-term. 

The only caveat here is the Vikings only have four NFL Draft picks to work with. That doesn't leave them much wiggle room to take two players at the same position. However, it would be shocking to not see Kwesi Adofo-Mensah try and trade down to acquire more draft capital to make that a more plausible option.

Plus, with the talent in this class, it's a safer bet that one or two of those players would hit. If the Vikings could fortify running back with a pair of backs who can elevate the unit for the next four years, it would go a long way to making J.J. McCarthy or Sam Darnold's life easier.

Learning from history is very important and this could skyrocket the Vikings' running game.

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