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The Minnesota Vikings do not need to treat the NFL trade deadline as an immediate search for running back help after Jordan Mason returned to practice this week. Mason’s designation opens a 21-day window for Minnesota to evaluate and activate him, restoring the team’s planned rotation in the backfield.
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Locked On Vikings host Luke Braun said Mason’s pending return removes the urgency behind a trade for a marquee back. Braun still sees the appeal of an upgrade, particularly one who could become a durable long-term piece, but argued Minnesota no longer has to make a move simply to protect Aaron Jones from an unsustainable workload.
Jones has carried 97 times for 410 yards through five games, and he handled at least 17 carries in each of the four games after Mason went on injured reserve. The Vikings planned to split work between Jones and Mason before Mason’s injury, making the latter’s practice return meaningful even if he is not immediately activated.
Braun framed Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor as the type of addition Minnesota could consider if the price and long-term fit made sense. Taylor has 492 rushing yards and seven touchdowns through six games, but Indianapolis signed him to an extension in August.
The Vikings host the Colts on Sunday, which makes a Taylor trade especially unlikely in the immediate term. Minnesota can instead use Mason’s evaluation period to determine whether its existing backfield can again spread carries between two starting-caliber runners.
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Braun’s larger deadline standard was simple: Minnesota should avoid surrendering future value for a short-term rental. Any deal, he argued, should remain sensible in March rather than merely satisfying the impulse to capitalize on a 5-0 start.
Mason’s next practice work will determine whether the Vikings can activate him for the Indianapolis game or need to keep leaning on Jones. The return window gives Minnesota options before deciding whether its playoff push truly requires an outside addition.
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This story was originally published October 20, 2026 at 2:40 PM.