What should the Minnesota Vikings do for a third running back?

The Minnesota Vikings let Jerick McKinnon go in free agency, so now the team will need to find a new running back to be a backup or fill a role in 2018.

There is some great news at running back for the Minnesota Vikings entering the 2018 NFL season. They should have Dalvin Cook back to be their featured guy and they were able to keep Latavius Murry around on a lower salary. But what about the depth past that?

Last year, the Vikings were lucky. When Dalvin Cook went down with a knee injury, the combination of Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon were able to pick up the slack and help the team get to the NFC Championship game. Sadly, McKinnon left in free agency.

As a third-round draft pick in 2013, McKinnon has been able to show an elusiveness when running, when combined with his speed and solid hands made him a dangerous weapon for Minnesota. Now, he brings those talents to the San Francisco 49ers.

With that hole opening up, the team will need to find a new RB3 for their team for use in situational play or in the event that (heaven forbid) injuries happen.

Option 1: Mack Brown

The Minnesota Vikings locked down an insurance policy in Mack Brown. Brown may not have a deep highlight reel, but his play with the Washington Redskins during the preseason was very encouraging. This is particularly true when looking at the 2016 preseason, where he led the league in rushing yards.

Mack showed potential during the regular season as well, since he saw his first action on offense in Week 16 of the 2016 season where he picked up 82 yards on just 8 rushing attempts, including a 61 yard run for a touchdown.

Option 2: NFL Draft

There are some great running back prospects coming out in the draft this year. There are plenty of small, elusive backs and big, bruising players available even in the mid rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft, making it an interesting idea for Minnesota to use a pick on one.

However, the team does have a lot of needs it still needs to fill. The Vikings still need to find a starting offensive lineman plus depth at cornerback, wide receiver, linebacker, and other positions while getting a kicker.

The positive thing about using the draft is that Minnesota can find a player they like and develop them to fit the team’s needs going forward or even stash a mid-to-late round pick on the practice squad in case of emergency.

Option 3: Free Agency

This is the least likely of all the situations since the Minnesota Vikings will need to be frugal with the rest of their cap after making two splash signings in Sheldon Richardson and Kirk Cousins. Add in that running backs are getting decent sized contracts and the talent has been sifted through pretty well at this point, and it’s hard to imagine Minnesota going this route.

However, an established, veteran presence as RB3 is a great insurance policy compared to an unknown from the draft, but they also cost significantly more than a rookie would.

Minnesota Vikings

Option 4: Roll the Dice

A risky, yet possible, option for the team could be to go forward with two running backs on their roster and use fullback C.J. Ham in situations where they need him. Of course, this means the team will need a solid runner on their practice squad to elevate in case of injury and that player may not be as talented as any the team can hold on their 53-man roster since those players can be signed away.

What should Minnesota do?

The Vikings should be okay with Mack Brown being their RB3 unless a top prospect falls to them in the middle rounds of the 2018 NFL Draft. Then, a competition opens up and the winner goes to the 53 man roster while the loser heads to the practice squad. This is the most salary-friendly approach as well as a great way to push players with potential to be their very best.

Next: Realistic free-agent options for the Vikings' offense in 2018

What do you think the Minnesota Vikings should do for depth at the running back position? And what kind of player should the team be looking at past Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray on the depth chart? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.