From the very beginning of the 2026 offseason, most onlookers expected the Minnesota Vikings to land a new running back, whether from free agency, the draft, or via trade. But free agency passed, and Minnesota did not sign players like Travis Etienne, Kenneth Walker III, or Rico Dowdle.
Surely, the franchise would spend a meaningful draft pick on halfback, right? Not really. Minnesota used a 6th-Rounder on Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne.
Now, that man has a chance to show enough in 2026 as a reserve tailback to prove that he belongs as the lead guy in 2027.
Claiborne Can Put Himself in Position for the 2027 RB1 Job
Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason Not Under Contract in 2027
If the Vikings had a long-term running back on their roster — if this was 2019, and Dalvin Cook held down the fort, for example — this whole Claiborne thing could be moot. That is — no one was waltzing into Minneapolis to take Cook’s job. That person would’ve been complementary — like Alexander Mattison.
But Minnesota doesn’t have that luxury, and in fact, hasn’t since Cook departed after the 2022 campaign.
Instead, Jones and Mason are already scheduled for off-ramps. Their contracts expire in about seven months, and unless they’re extended, Minnesota is looking at a total facelift at running back.
That’s where Claiborne fits. His first NFL team features one aging tailback in Jones and another in Mason, who isn’t quite known as a bellcow back. The Vikings could reasonably say goodbye to both after 2026 and pivot to a different solution in 2027.
As the current roster stands, Claiborne is the youthful nominee. There’s nobody else. It’s his time to shine.
Partnering Claiborne with the Guy Who Sculpted De’Von Achane
But wait, there’s more. The Vikings hired Frank Smith this offseason after the Miami Dolphins dissolved their previous coaching staff regime led by Mike McDaniel. Smith coordinated the Dolphins’ offense from 2022 to 2025 — four full seasons. During that timeframe, he cultivated Texas A&M speedster De’Von Achane, who is now a Top 10 running back in the NFL.
Achane is 5’9″ and 190 pounds with 4.32 speed. Claiborne is 5’10” and 195 pounds with 4.37 speed. Do you see where we’re going with this?
Achane and Claiborne share:
- The same coach
- The same stature
- Virtually the same speed
Smith is now the Vikings’ assistant coach. If he could empower Achane to the fullest — few thought he would turn into a total stud as he is now — why not Claiborne? Of course, Claiborne must show Achane’s vision on the field, along with his wherewithal to break tackles, but the parallels are present.
Smith has done it before. He could do it again.
The Options in 2027 Free Agency
What if Claiborne is a dud in Year No. 1? Can the Vikings just sign a free agent next March? Yes and no.
The free-agent market is bittersweet: it’s poised to reveal three prominent running backs, but two of them will be “old” by 2027. Here’s the trio:
- Jonathan Taylor (age 29 in 2027)
- D’Andre Swift (age 29 in 2027)
- Zach Charbonnet (age 27 in 2027)
Aside from those free-agent candidates, the market is scheduled to host names like Tony Pollard, Alvin Kamara, and Rachaad White. Those players would be “more of the same” from the Jones experiment.
Therefore, this is a long way of saying that the Vikings will need to find an RB1 from the draft, fire up a trade — or just promote Claiborne after a theoretically promising rookie showing.
A Roster Screaming for a Young RB to Step Up
Normally, VikesNow wouldn’t go all out by spitballing hopes for a 6th-Round running back. Most 6th-Rounders flop as potential RB1s, instead relegated to bench roles throughout their careers. Yet, Claiborne’s opportunity is different.
The Vikings’ offense could be unlocked if head coach Kevin O’Connell found a young halfback and committed to running the ball. In fact, it’s a mystery to ponder the upside of O’Connell’s offense with a dynamic 23-year-old running back — for two reasons. A) Since 2022, Minnesota has never found one. B) O’Connell prefers to throw the ball at an intense clip compared to other teams.
Maybe Claiborne can be the gatekeeper to the whole damn thing.
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VikesNow Verdict: Claiborne doesn’t need to dominate the Vikings’ backfield immediately. As a rookie, he needs to show enough potential to convince Minnesota that they might already have a starter for 2027. With Jones and Mason’s contracts nearing their end, some meaningful flashes in limited touches could place Claiborne at the forefront of the RB1 conversation next offseason.
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