Should Vikings Swing A Trade For Jonathan Taylor?

The Minnesota Vikings are the last remaining undefeated team in the NFL. A six-point win over the Indianapolis Colts pushed their record to 6-0, but were the Colts auditioning star running back for a potential trade? Today's big news in the NFL surrounded Seattle trading for star guard Quenton Nelson and the 49ers reuniting with defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, signaling a complete fire sale under a new interim GM. 

There are reports that Indianapolis would like to retain Taylor despite teams calling about the running back. Still, teams will call and check in on him, and things change quickly in the NFL. Another possible sign is the increased snap share for running back Seth McGowan on Sunday. 

Should Minnesota push for a trade for Taylor?

So, let's start with the sputtering offense. Currently, the Vikings sit at the bottom of the league in many offensive metrics, and even out of the bye week, the offense continues to struggle. The Vikings offense sits at 29th in the NFL with a total offensive EPA of -0.14. Even worse has been their rushing attack, which has an EPA/rush of -0.17.

Aaron Jones hasn't been bad by any stretch of the imagination, and Jordan Mason returned to the fold on Sunday. Jones is dealing with an injury that isn't considered serious, but his availability on Sunday is in doubt. Mason has done well when called upon as well. 

The difference is this offense desperately needs a spark on offense. Taylor could provide that and showed that on Sunday with a touchdown run against the stingy Vikings defense. Look, the defense can't continue this pace all season. There will be slip ups, because it's the NFL. 

The offense has to come alive to truly turn this team into a Super Bowl contender. Unlocking the running game with Taylor and Kyler Murray could potentially open up the passing game. There's no reason for Justin Jefferson to finish any game with 40-something receiving yards.

This team is too talented on offense to have this kind of output. Yes, winning masks all, but this is a fatal flaw that if not corrected can cost the Vikings their season. The addition of Taylor could be just the jumpstart this offense needs and could spur on a hot run into January leading to Valentine's Day in SoFi Stadium.

The NFC is wide open. Other teams are making moves. The Vikings shouldn't want to stand pat with this opportunity in front of them.