Bleacher Report Dumps Cold Water on Vikings New RB1
For the first time since 2006, the Minnesota Vikings will not have an Adrian Peterson or Dalvin Cook at RB1 heading into a regular season.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah released Cook on June 9th, ending a six-year run in purple.
Bleacher Report Dumps Cold Water on Vikings New RB1
In Cook’s stead, veteran Alexander Mattison is scheduled to take over RB1 duties, his fifth NFL season and first as a true-blue starter. From 2019 to 2022, Mattison served as the RB2 in Minnesota’s offense.
And while the team and coaches sound extremely high on Mattison as the 2023 starting tailback, not everyone’s convinced the experiment will work. This week, Bleacher Report published an article detailing ‘players with expanded roles who won’t produce like stars,’ and Mattison made the cut for that naughty criteria.
BR‘s Alex Kay explained about Mattison, “He’ll now get a chance to be featured in Minnesota’s offense, although it could be tough for him to replicate his predecessor’s successes. Mattison may have shined in the limited games Cook missed over the last few years — including going over 90 rushing yards in three of his four 2021 starts — but it will be difficult for him to dominate on a weekly basis.”
The Vikings re-signed Mattison in March for two years and $7 million, a signal at the time that Cook was on his way out. The signal was accurate as Cook was cut three months later and remains a free agent.
“There were indications that the 25-year-old may not be ready for a bigger role as recently as the 2022 season. Mattison’s only truly notable showing last year came in the Week 17 finale, when he took his 10 totes against the Chicago Bears for 54 yards and two scores. He had some duds leading up to that contest, including a Week 5 game against the same Bears defense where he gained a meager 19 yards on nine carries,” Kay warned.
Mattison has tabulated 1,670 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in four seasons, chipping in 70 catches for 526 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns, too.
Kay concluded, “It also remains to be seen if Mattison will be utilized at the same rate as Cook, who averaged a whopping 311 touches over his last four Pro Bowl campaigns. Mattison never showed enough to cut into Cook’s workload either, making it a realistic possibility that the Vikings decide to go with more of a timeshare with a more even talent pool in their backfield now. Mattison’s primary competition will come from Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu and rookie DeWayne McBride all backs who are likely to get a fair shot at impressing the coaching staff in training camp and the preseason.”
Kay is correct in one regard — Mattison may not be showcased like a bellcow back quite like Cook. Such ball carriers are a dying breed in the NFL, so fans should reasonably expect an enhanced workload for the RB2 once the Vikings determine that man’s identity. That could be Chandler, McBride, or Nwangwu.
As for Mattison struggling or not producing like a star, well, that remains to be seen. Following in the footsteps of Peterson and Cook is no small task.
Other players who won’t produce like stars in expanded roles as defined by Bleacher Report? Jordan Love (Packers), Chigoziem Okonkwo (Titans), Calvin Ridley (Jaguars), and Kadarius Toney (Chiefs).
Vikings training camp kicks off in 11 days.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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