The Minnesota Vikings are adding running back Devin Neal, according to a report from Jordan Schultz. The move gives the club another option in a backfield that has been stretched thin this season.
The addition is modest on paper, but it comes while Minnesota is dealing with injuries and an unsettled rotation. Starter Aaron Jones has been playing through a knee issue, while Jordan Mason remains on injured reserve.
Jones has taken on a heavier workload than usual while Mason heals from a thumb injury. The remaining depth behind them has not developed into a reliable rotation.
Neal is 23 and only one year removed from being drafted. New Orleans selected him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft with the 184th overall pick after his standout career at Kansas.
Neal finished his time with the Jayhawks as the program’s all-time leading rusher. He recorded more than 1,200 yards in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024, finishing with 4,343 rushing yards, 49 rushing touchdowns and 20 games with at least 100 yards.
Those numbers made Neal one of the central figures in the revival of the Kansas program under Lance Leipold. NFL evaluators still viewed him as more of a complementary back than a future feature runner.
The Saints signed Neal to a rookie contract covering four years and worth about $4.45 million, including a $251,312 signing bonus. He made $840,000 in 2025 and received meaningful work during his rookie season.
Neal appeared in 10 games and made three starts. He carried 57 times for 206 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 3.6 yards per attempt, while also catching 17 passes for 104 yards.
His role extended beyond rushing and receiving, as he also returned kicks. That experience gave him regular season work in several areas during his first NFL season.
A hamstring injury in Week 15 interrupted the end of Neal’s rookie season. New Orleans later released him following roster cuts this year, making the former draft pick available in late September.
Minnesota’s interest comes after the team cycled through several additional running backs. That group has included DeeJay Dallas, Demond Claiborne, Jerome Ford and Jaret Patterson.
Neal does not arrive as a proven difference-maker at the NFL level. He does, however, bring recent NFL snaps, some receiving ability and a compact, patient running style that could be useful on a practice squad or through an emergency elevation.
At 5-foot-11 and about 213 pounds, Neal profiles as a between-the-tackles option. He could also handle some third-down work if asked to take on that responsibility.
Whether the addition becomes more than depth insurance will depend on the health of the running backs around Neal. It will also depend on how quickly he can learn Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
For now, Minnesota is making a low-cost addition involving a young back who already understands what an NFL week looks like. If Jones needs rest or Mason’s return is delayed, Neal gives the Vikings another player who has carried the ball in regular-season games rather than another untested option.