By admin 
The Minnesota Vikings keep winning without much help from an offense that hasn’t topped 250 total yards in any game. Kenneth Gainwell could give it a jolt, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be ready to move him.
Read more Travis Kelce Declares Nickname for Kansas City Chiefs Teammate
Jordan Mason is on short-term injured reserve with a fractured thumb. That has left Aaron Jones Sr. to carry the load at 31, and he finished a 23-carry, 105-yard day against the Chicago Bears wearing a knee brace, per ESPN. He still handled 22 touches in Sunday’s 23-16 win at Tampa Bay.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox sees a match. Knox ranked Gainwell ninth on his trade block big board entering Week 4, listing Minnesota and the Miami Dolphins as potential suitors at a projected price of a 2027 sixth-round pick. Knox wrote that Gainwell “hasn’t been utilized in Zac Robinson’s offense.”
Why Tampa Bay could sell Gainwell
The Buccaneers are 0-3 after that loss to the Vikings, and Baker Mayfield is expected to miss at least three weeks with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand. Gainwell has played 42% of Tampa Bay’s offensive snaps, turning 10 carries into 21 yards and adding six catches for 22 more, according to Pro Football Reference. That’s not what the Bucs paid for in March.
Read more ‘I Need Some Confidence’-Vinicius Junior Opens Up on Form Struggles
Minnesota would be buying the back from 2025. Gainwell set career highs with 537 rushing yards and 486 receiving yards for the Pittsburgh Steelers last season, scored eight touchdowns and was voted team MVP by his teammates. At 27, he’d complement Jones as a pass catcher and give the Vikings cover until Mason is back.
The money works, too. Gainwell signed a two-year, $14 million deal, but $5 million of his $7 million cap hit this year came as a roster bonus, per Spotrac. A new team would absorb only what’s left of his $1.83 million base salary, and Minnesota has $7.8 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap. The catch is 2027, when Gainwell is owed $6.83 million with $3 million guaranteed.
If Tampa Bay will take a Day 3 pick, the Vikings should make the call before the Nov. 10 deadline.
Read more Yaxel Lendeborg already making strong first impression on Warriors’ Hall of Famers
Copyright 2026 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published September 30, 2026 at 5:23 AM.