The Minnesota Vikings may be undefeated in 2026 with a record of 5-0 through so many weeks, but they are far from a perfect team. The offense is having some growing pains, but is finding its way. The defense is among the best but has some depth issues that could expose them if any injuries were to occur.
That got us thinking after seeing a recent piece published by Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox. He discussed several trade candidates and their value at this point in the season. We went through the list and thought some of the players could make sense for the Vikings.
One of them was Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenneth Gainwell.
They suggest he could be acquired for a fifth-round pick and discuss the reason for a trade, stating, "Gainwell
showed last season that he can be a high-volume complementary back, too. While working in tandem with Steelers starter Jaylen Warren, he racked up 187 touches, 1,023 scrimmage yards, and eight touchdowns. The Bucs signed Gainwell to a two-year, $14 million deal, hoping to form a dangerous tandem with him and Bucky Irving. However, Gainwell simply hasn't carved out a significant role in Zac Robinson's offense. The Buccaneers could probably be convinced to move Gainwell for a reasonable return and $2 million in 2026 cap savings."
The Vikings have had a lot of success with Aaron Jones Sr. and have Jordan Mason set to come back from injury, but they lack someone with Gainwell's skill set. The dynamic back could present a fun piece in the offense for Kevin O'Connell and Wes Phillips to scheme with and help out Kyler Murray more.
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: Should the Vikings make a trade for a running back?
