The Minnesota Vikings are 5-1 entering their primetime matchup versus the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football.
They will have one more game before the November 5 trade deadline.
The Vikings beat the rush, re-acquiring former Rams running back Cam Akers from the Houston Texans on October 15. However, KTSP’s Darren Wolfson reported on “SKOR North” on October 17 that Akers was not the Vikings’ first choice.
Wolfson also said he had “100% confirmed” that the Vikings held talks with the Chicago Bears over former starting running back Khalil Herbert.
Herbert addressed the swirling trade rumors before the Bears’ first practice of the week.
“Yeah, I don’t know. I mean there’ll be a bunch of stuff you hear, see. I don’t know necessarily how much of it is true. Just focused on being here right now, where my feet are, getting better today, have a good practice today,” Herbert told Clocker Sports when asked for his thoughts about the swirling rumors ahead of the Bears Wednesday practice.
“Just file it away. You never know what’s gonna happen, so you never want to get your hopes up or you never want to think one thing’s going to happen and then another thing happens. So I just focus on where I am right now, be where my feet are.”
Herbert began his career backing up former Bears starter David Montgomery, now with the Detroit Lions. Herbert opened the 2023 season starting the first five games for the Bears. He ceded snaps, carries, and starts in the second half of the 2023 season due to injuries.
The Bears signed another former Lions back, D’Andre Swift, in free agency from the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2024 offseason to be their new RB1.
Second-year back Roschon Johnson has also played ahead of Herbert this season.
Herbert has eight carries for 16 yards and 1 touchdown through seven weeks. He has logged 64 snaps on special teams compared to 27 on offense, per Pro Football Reference. His 41% snap rate on special teams is a career his. His 7% offensive snap rate is a career low.
A trade to the Vikings would not open up many more opportunities for Herbert now. But he was the Vikings’ prime target before.
Vikings ‘Preferred’ Trade for Bears’ Khalil Herbert to Cam Akers
Herbert, the No. 217 overall pick of the 2021 draft, rushed for 611 yards and 2 scores on 132 carries in 2023. He also caught 20 passes for 132 yards and 1 touchdown on 31 targets. He has 1,791 yards and 9 touchdowns on 372 career carries.
Why the Vikings’ trade talks with the Bears broke down remains unclear. Trades between division rivals are rare. But the Vikings acquired tight end T.J. Hockenson from the Lions in 2022.
Wolfon insisted Herbert was indeed the Vikings’ “preferred” target.
“I’m led to believe the Vikings preferred Khalil Herbert,” Wolfson said on “SKOR North” on October 17. “100% confirmed, the Vikings had dialogue with Chicago. [The Vikings] absolutely had interest in Herbert. It wasn’t Cam Akers or bust.”
Herbert is in the final year of his four-year, $3.6 million rookie contract. He has roughly $680,000 in base salary remaining this season.
Vikings RB Room Healthy Heading Into Thursday Night Football
The Vikings are in good shape in the backfield heading into the tilt versus the Rams even without their trade for Akers. Starter Aaron Jones has been battling through a hamstring injury but was taken off the injury report following Wednesday’s session.
Jones was listed as a “limited” participant on the team’s report from the day before.
The Vikings also have Ty Chandler at RB2 and Myles Gaskin – who typically handles kick return duties – in addition to Jones and Akers.
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