The 6-0 Minnesota Vikings got good news on Aaron Jones Sr. this week, as the knee injury that knocked him out of Sunday’s 16-10 win over the Indianapolis Colts isn’t considered significant. He’s day-to-day heading into Sunday’s game at Detroit.

Jones has been playing through a sprained left MCL for most of the season. Even so, he has 436 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 105 carries (4.2 per carry) through six games. Jordan Mason also came back from injured reserve Sunday and led the team with 68 yards on 15 carries.

The team on the other side of that game is heading in the opposite direction. The Colts fell to 2-5 and on Tuesday traded guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers.

More reports connect Vikings to Jonathan Taylor

That has every contender looking at the best player Indianapolis still has, and Tuesday night, yet another NFL insider put has the Minnesota Vikings atop the list of contenders with interest in Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.

On the most recent episode of NFL Network’s The Insiders, Ian Rapoport (NFL Network) said Minnesota should be one of the teams calling about a running back, and that, if Jonathan Taylor is available, he “no doubt expects” the Vikings to be among the teams interested.

“Minnesota Vikings, their star running back Aaron Jones still dealing with a knee injury. He had an MCL sprain early in the season then aggravated that same injury. Going to continue to work through it, but this is something that we’re going to have to continue to watch. And we have been talking about possibly running back… possible running back trades. I would include the Minnesota Vikings as a team that will inquire potentially about trading for a running back. If Jonathan Taylor, who ran wild against them recently, is available, I would no doubt, Fowler, expect them to be one of the teams to inquire.”

Ian Rapoport – The Insiders, NFL Network (video above)

This is the second time in a week the Vikings have been tied to Taylor. Before Sunday’s game, Rapoport and Adam Schefter (ESPN) listed the Vikings with the Packers, Seahawks and Broncos as teams that could call on the 3x Pro Bowler.

On Sunday, in a losing effort against the Vikings, Taylor carried 18 times for 95 yards (5.3 per carry) and a TD. Through seven games, the 27-year-old has 140 carries for 587 yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

Minnesota’s two main backs have combined for three rushing TDs on the season. Meanwhile, Taylor’s gone for 90 or more yards in five games already this season. He’s also caught 17 passes for an additional 178 yards.

Are the Colts really going to trade Jonathan Taylor?

Taylor isn’t a rental. He signed an extension with Indianapolis in August, but Dan Graziano (ESPN) wrote Wednesday that the deal is still tradeable. The Colts would take on $10 million in dead money next year, and the team that gets him would owe what’s left of his 2026 pay.

In that same piece, Jeremy Fowler (ESPN) wrote that “teams aren’t totally sold the Colts will trade Taylor” because he is not a pending free agent. However, all the insiders agree that there will be heavy interest on the trade market, where Indy has already been active. Of course, the Minnesota Vikings were again listed as one of five “team fits”.

Teams I’ve talked to aren’t totally sold that Indianapolis will trade Taylor despite heavy interest — at least not yet. He is signed long term and would be a boon for next year’s coaching staff, whether it’s the current group or entirely new. But what Kenneth Walker III has done for Kansas City shows how a premier running back can put on new jersey colors and immediately reimagine a team’s season. And the tenor of Indy’s season is getting ugly, which affects all key players and could spark even more movement.

Taylor is scheduled to make $16.02 million in 2027, and that money isn’t guaranteed until five days after the Super Bowl. That means a team could trade for him with no commitment past this season and still have the option to keep him.

NFL insiders still skeptical Colts will play ball unless blown away by offer

Not everyone is sold on a deal happening, though. Graziano thinks Tennessee’s Tony Pollard is more likely to be moved, and Jeremy Fowler (ESPN) wrote that trading Taylor isn’t a slam dunk for the Colts because, unlike Nelson and Buckner, he isn’t headed for free agency.

According to reports, like the one below from ESPN NFL Nation reporter Jordan Raanan the Minnesota Vikings would have to part with a second round pick, maybe more, to get the Colts’ attention.

On Monday, Kevin O’Connell said he doesn’t see running back depth as an issue with where Jones is at, though he added that things could change as Jones goes day-to-day. Obviously, trade cost will matter more than anything.