The Vikings have spent the past few years searching for a real answer in the run game, and they’ve taken different swings to get there. They signed Josh Oliver in 2023, then added assistant head coach Frank Smith this offseason to help reshape the scheme. Even with those moves, the explosive ground plays that can tilt an offense never really showed up.
That’s where Demond Claiborne comes in.
The rookie running back, a sixth-round pick from Wake Forest, is the kind of player who can change the feel of a backfield in a hurry. Training camp is now officially underway, and Claiborne has a real chance to turn heads right away with the speed and burst that made him such an intriguing fit for Minnesota.
The numbers explain why people around the team have been paying attention. Claiborne ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in March, then backed up the athletic profile with production at Wake Forest. Over his final two seasons with the Demon Deacons, he piled up 2,350 yards and 23 touchdowns from scrimmage, showing he can help as both a runner and a receiver.
That explosiveness was already noticeable in minicamp. Aaron Jones said Claiborne’s burst reminded him of Lions star Jahmyr Gibbs, and The Athletic’s Alec Lewis reported that “executives, coaches and teammates quietly raved about his movement skills this spring.”
Frank Smith’s presence only strengthens the case that Claiborne could find a lane quickly. Smith, who previously served as the Miami Dolphins’ offensive coordinator, built a reputation for creativity in the run game.
That approach helped De’Von Achane lead the NFL with 5.7 yards per carry last season. Even in 2023, when Achane was splitting work with Raheem Mostert, Smith still found ways to feature him, and Achane finished with 7.8 yards per carry, 997 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns as a rookie.
That’s part of why the Vikings were drawn to a player Dane Brugler of The Athletic described as “a diet version” of Achane. It also gives Claiborne a chance to bring something different to a Minnesota backfield that didn’t get many chunk plays from Jordan Mason and Jones. The pair combined for 14 breakaway runs, which Pro Football Focus defines as designed runs of 15 yards or more.
Claiborne had 12 breakaway runs in his final season at Wake Forest by himself.
There are still things he has to clean up. He put the ball on the ground five times last season, and his pass protection will matter in a Kevin O’Connell offense that leans heavily on the passing game. But if he handles the less glamorous parts of the job, Claiborne has a clear path to making noise in camp and beyond.
In Other News...
Vikings Just Added A Former Pro Bowler Nobody Saw Coming
The Vikings are adding another piece to a linebacker room that already has a real competition brewing, and Jamal Adams gives Brian Flores something a little different to work with. Adams spent last season with the Raiders after earlier stops with the Jets and Seahawks, and his move from safety to linebacker has made him a fit for a defense that values versatility and interchangeable pieces.
For Minnesota, the appeal is less about a fixed role and more about what Adams can do across multiple spots if needed. He enters a mix that includes Eric Wilson, Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr. and rookie Jake Golday, and the question now is how much of Adams value comes from linebacker work, how much from safety, and how much from the nickel packages Flores can build around him. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Camp Opens With A Quarterback Crisis Bigger Than One Position
Training camp opens with the Vikings carrying more than the usual quarterback questions, because the entire offense is tied to whether the passing game can finally settle down. Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson remain the headliners in Kevin O'Connells system, but even proven playmakers can only do so much if the ball is not getting where it needs to go. After the front office shakeup that followed the firing of the previous general manager, the organization has spent the offseason trying to reset the direction of the roster and the offense around it.
The pressure now lands squarely on O'Connell and his staff, with improved quarterback play viewed as the clearest path back to the postseason. If the offense stalls again, the scrutiny will not stop at the position group, because the coaching staff is tied to the results just as tightly as the quarterback room is. There is also the broader question of whether the Vikings are building around their veteran stars or trying to protect themselves from another season in which the passing game never quite matches the talent around it. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Just Made A Defensive Move That Raises Bigger Questions
The Vikings opened training camp with key players on hand and the usual optimism that comes with a fresh start, even after a 9-8 finish left plenty of room for improvement. One of the more interesting additions is Jamal Adams, whose arrival gives Minnesota another experienced defender as the staff continues sorting out how best to use its new pieces.
Adams brings a recent year of full-time linebacker work from his last stop, which adds to the intrigue around how the Vikings plan to deploy him in a room that already has its own health concerns. The bigger issue may be what this move says about the rest of the defense, because Minnesota is still trying to answer questions at safety with Harrison Smith's future unresolved and the other options there still needing to prove they can hold up. [Read more 🡒]