Don’t expect the Minnesota Vikings to splurge on Jonathan Taylor or another top running back before the NFL trade deadline at 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

“I wouldn’t sit there and hold my breath,” Tom Pelissero (The Ringer) said Thursday on KFAN’s Power Trip Morning Show, despite rumors floating around X this morning that the Colts and Vikings are engaged in trade talks over the 3x Pro Bowler.

Meanwhile, Aaron Jones, who has been playing through a sprained left MCL, didn’t practice Wednesday. Before Pelissero said the Vikings are unlikely to trade for a running back, he did crown the position as the team’s No. 1 need.

But if you are holding out hope for a blockbuster that lands Jonathan Taylor or Saquon Barkley, just know the outlook isn’t good, at least not according to one homegrown NFL insider. Not unless new GM Nolan Teasley is willing to send the Colts a Christian McCaffrey-type return for Taylor.

“I think it’s the biggest thing that they, you know, could use. But I just… I wouldn’t sit there and hold my breath for, you know, Saquon or Jonathan Taylor or any of those, like, top-end items. And there’s a bunch of reasons for that. One, you have a new GM who is yet to run a draft and doesn’t want to empty out all of his draft capital… They are depreciating assets, and they can depreciate really quickly.”

“It’s not impossible. I certainly expect Nolan Teasley to explore everything that’s out there… contrary to what people believe after watching the Colts trade DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson this week, it’s not a fire sale.”

Tom Pelissero on KFAN’s Power Trip Morning Show

What Would Jonathan Taylor Cost?

Pelissero doesn’t believe the Eagles will move Saquon Barkley, and he said the Colts would move Jonathan Taylor, “but it’s got to be a real offer. It may not be the McCaffrey price, but it has to be pretty close.”

Carolina sent McCaffrey to San Francisco in 2022 for a 2023 second-, third- and fourth-round pick plus a 2024 fifth (NFL). That’s a lot to give up, if you are Nolan Teasley.

Taylor, 27, has 140 carries for 587 yards and eight touchdowns this season (PFR). He signed a two-year, $44 million extension in August, and Indianapolis reportedly wants a second-round pick or more for him, with the Vikings named among the interested teams.

That price is steep next to what the Colts got this week for two of their top linemen. Indianapolis sent Quenton Nelson to Seattle for a 2027 third and a 2028 fifth, and DeForest Buckner to San Francisco for a 2027 fourth.

Why Nolan Teasley Won’t Empty the Draft Capital

Pelissero gave three reasons the Minnesota Vikings are unlikely to make a deal for either Barkley or Taylor. First, Nolan Teasley has been general manager only since June 1 and hasn’t run a draft yet, so he’s unlikely to empty out his picks for a position that loses value fast.

Second, the Vikings don’t have a lot of money to put toward the position, with about a half-dozen defenders waiting to be paid and a “monster” deal coming for Dallas Turner if it gets done this offseason (insert eye emoji here).

Third, he said the Vikings would have to believe they are one superstar running back away from being a Super Bowl-caliber team. “They’ll have more information in a couple of weeks, and maybe it changes, but that’s not the type of deal that I’m sitting here thinking they’re gonna swing right now,” Pelissero said.

Where the Vikings’ Run Game Stands

Whether it’s a blockbuster deal we reportedly shouldn’t expect to happen or something smaller, but still significant, the Minnesota Vikings need help running the football.

KOC has proven his newfound commitment to a ground and pound style lifestyle through six games… but it hasn’t paid any dividends yet in the numbers. The Vikings enter Week 8 ranked 22nd in the NFL at 3.96 yards per carry, below the league average of 4.16.

Jones, 31 and injured, leads the team with 105 carries for 436 yards (4.2 per carry) and two touchdowns. Jordan Mason, whom the Vikings acquired from the 49ers in March 2025, has 30 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown.

However, Mason just returned last week, after missing games 2-5 with a hand injury. Rookie Demond Claiborne, who many were excited about after the draft, has six carries for 13 yards.