Alexander Mattison Has a New Team
There is no shortage of former Minnesota Vikings players on the Las Vegas Raiders’ roster. Alexander Mattison merely became the latest addition on Monday.
Alexander Mattison Has a New Team
After five years with the Vikings, the purple team moved on from Mattison about two weeks ago, a surprise release before free agency as Minnesota pivots to a new era at running back involving Ty Chandler and newcomer veteran Aaron Jones.
It took until free agency’s second wave, but Mattison departed for the AFC West this week. Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweeted on Monday, “BREAKING: Free agent RB Alexander Mattison is signing with the Raiders, sources tell Bleacher Report. Still just 25 years old, Mattison had 17 TDs in five seasons with the Vikings.”
Mattison will presumably vie for an RB2 job in Las Vegas, though the RB1 competition isn’t very stiff. Josh Jacobs left this offseason, joining the Green Bay Packers as RB1, and yes, that means the Vikings will see Jacobs twice annually. The Raiders also seem like a team poised to select one of the draft’s top tailbacks in April. Stay tuned.
Mattison struggled in one audition as the Vikings’ RB1. The team tabbed him as the lead guy entering 2023, and the experiment faltered. Mattison tabulated 180 carries for 700 yards and zero touchdowns. The veteran runner was injured in November, and second-year halfback Ty Chandler took over, immediately providing more burst and production, seeming to cement an enhanced role in 2024. In fact, with Mattison as the top guy, Minnesota didn’t score a rushing touchdown until Week 8 last season, if that can be believed.
From 2019 to 2022, though, Mattison was quite impressive in the Vikings’ offense, functioning as a reliable RB2 behind Dalvin Cook for four seasons. When Cook would miss games, Vikings fans were never too worried about Mattison taking over for a week or two. Perhaps his career can be rekindled in Las Vegas.
These are the Raiders’ halfbacks with the Mattison addition:
- Zamir White
- Alexander Mattison
- Ameer Abdullah
- Brittain Brown
- Sincere McCormick
- Tyreik McAllister
Look for Las Vegas to add one of these runners in the draft:
- Jonathon Brooks (Texas)
- Blake Corum (Michigan)
- Trey Benson (Florida State)
- TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State)
- MarShawn Lloyd (USC)
- Bucky Irving (Oregon)
- Braelon Allen (Wisconsin)
The Raiders’ roster now contains five former Vikings: Ameer Abdullah (RB), Daniel Carlson (K), Marcus Epps (S), and Janarius Robinson (EDGE) — plus Mattison.
Las Vegas ranked 23rd leaguewide per Rush EPA/Play in 2023 — and that was with Jacobs in the RB1 role. Tenth worst.
Mattison will turn 26 in June.
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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