Minnesota Vikings continue to be linked to Jonathan Taylor, and we know what a deal has to look like
Adding Jonathan Taylor would be a game changer for the Minnesota Vikings, and it won’t come cheap for Nolan Teasley.
The NFL trade deadline is coming up fast, and the Minnesota Vikings are projected to be one of the most aggressive teams on the phones. One name has been consistently tied to Minnesota: Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirmed the Vikings are pursuing Taylor, along with the New York Giants. The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero also reported that the Colts have already turned down a 2027 second-round pick plus an additional pick for the star running back.
That leaves one big question hanging over the entire pursuit: how much is Taylor going to cost?
Jonathan Taylor’s production remains elite
Taylor has been fantastic for Indianapolis over the course of his career. He’s a three-time Pro Bowler and earned first-team All-Pro honors in his second season, when he ran for 1,811 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2021. He followed that up last season with 1,585 yards and another 18 touchdowns.
He’s still been great this year with 587 yards and eight touchdowns. However, he’s averaging 4.2 yards per carry, the lowest mark of his career. A lot of that isn’t rooted in his own deficiencies. The bigger culprit is the lack of continuity in the Colts’ passing game, which lets defenses key on the run.
Why Taylor fits the Vikings’ biggest need
If Taylor were to come to Minnesota, he would solve a lot of issues. Both Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason carry a negative rush yards over expected and a significantly negative EPA per rush. Taylor, on the other hand, is thriving with the Colts, who own one of the best EPA per rush marks in the NFL.
Adding him would cut a couple of different ways. On one side, it would feel like the Vikings are spending too much on offense. They already dedicate one of the highest salary cap figures in the league to that side of the ball. They’re also going to have to start paying some of their defensive players if they want to keep that unit together, especially guys like Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel.
That being said, Minnesota’s biggest issues are on offense, not defense. Taylor would also add something Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has never had in his run game: explosiveness. He’s a back who can hit a home run instead of settling for a 5 or 6-yard gain, and mitigate the issues they have when it comes to blocking.
What would it take to land Taylor?
With the Colts already turning down a second-round pick plus more, the price is going to be steep. A realistic package likely looks like a second- and a third-round pick, possibly with a little extra on the back end.
Luckily for the Vikings, they have extra fifth and sixth-round picks to work with. Those Day 3 selections could end up being a huge factor in Minnesota getting a deal done, because they allow flexibility to sweeten an offer without touching premium capital.
Would the Vikings be willing to give up a first-round pick? They shouldn’t, unless it’s built as a condition. If the second-round pick upgrades to a first only if Minnesota wins the Super Bowl, that’s a deal everybody could get behind. At that point, Taylor would have helped deliver the title.
The deadline will tell us how serious the Vikings are, and whether Indianapolis is willing to meet somewhere in the middle.
Predicted trade cost: Vikings send 2027 2nd, 2027 3rd, and 2028 5th for Taylor and 2027 4th
