Vikings' Two Wednesday Signings Aren't Enough to Address Running Back Woes

Much has been made of the Vikings' anemic offense to start the season. Through the first three weeks, Minnesota ranks dead last in total yardage, and has leaned heavily on their elite defense to carry the load. And as the offensive struggle bus sputters along, the team has made little attempt to inject some life into it, opting instead for a wait-and-see approach.

It's not the worst approach, but there's a silent killer taking its toll. The Vikings lost a huge part of their offense in Week 1 when Jordan Mason headed to injured reserve with a thumb injury. Since then, in an effort to provide some depth to the position, the Vikings have elevated DeeJay Dallas, signed Jerome Ford and Jaret Patterson, cut Jerome Ford and Jaret Patterson, and signed Devin Neal and Audric Estime. All of this has mostly been for naught, though, as the Vikings have instead chosen to run Aaron Jones until the wheels fall off, giving the 31-year-old 45 total touches over the past two weeks.

Minnesota has made some half-hearted attempts at adding running back depth, but has ultimately been resigned to giving an already banged up Jones more work. The season is long, and this extra wear-and-tear on Jones could very well come back to haunt the Vikings down the stretch.

The Vikings should look to add a player from a team they just traded with to solve their running back woes

Had rookie Demond Claiborne progressed a bit more, this issue would be much more under control until Mason returns. Instead, the rookie has been trusted with just four touches for a total of three yards. Dallas has had his own struggles, and neither Ford nor Patterson saw a snap in their brief tenures with the team. Meanwhile, newcomer Neal's career 3.6 yard average doesn't inspire much either.

To help preserve Jones for a possible playoff push, the Vikings need to start getting serious about adding a worthwhile back to the roster. If it means releasing Claiborne or Dallas, then so be it, but the team is playing with fire.

Their best bet may be to make a call to the team they just dealt with in the New York Giants. Minnesota sent J.J. McCarthy to the Big Apple earlier this week, and Nolan Teasley could pick up the phone again to trade for a running back who has fallen out of the rotation in Devin Singletary.

Singletary has just 13 touches on the year for New York, and was a healthy scratch last week. That's not exactly a glowing resume for a potential addition, but the 29-year-old has been much more productive over the course of his career than the Vikings' past attempts at adding depth.

With three seasons with over 1,000 total yards, Singletary would bring strong pass protection and pass-catching to a running back room that struggles with both. Last year, Singletary finished with a 67.0 pass-blocking grade with Pro Football Focus, which topped all the Giants' running backs. Singletary's receiving abilities, boasting 218 career receptions, would give Kyler Murray a security blanket for a Minnesota running back group that just eight catches on the year.

Jones has been dealing with a knee issue already, and it's clear the Vikings don't have another viable starter on the roster if he misses time. Mason will return in a few short weeks, but the physical toll on Jones in the meantime may put Minnesota in an undesirable situation late in the season. Singletary provides legitimate depth and great insurance if things turn sour once again with Mason or Jones down the line.

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