It’s the End of the Road for One Vikings RB
If you pounded the table for DeWayne McBride before, during, or after the 2023 NFL Draft, you broke that piece of furniture beyond repair.
It’s the End of the Road for One Vikings RB
It’s over.
The Minnesota Vikings announced 14 roster releases and waivers on Monday, one day before the NFL’s trimdown deadline. This is the list of 14, with McBride included:
- Matt Cindric (OL)
- Matt Corral (QB)
- Chuck Filiaga (OL)
- A.J. Green III (CB)
- Justin Hall (WR)
- Mo Ibrahim (RB)
- Neal Johnson (TE)
- Tyler Manoa (DL)
- DeWayne McBride (RB)
- Doug Nester (OL)
- Owen Porter (OLB)
- Sammis Reyes (TE)
- Spencer Rolland (OL)
- Jaylin Williams (CB)
There’s a slim chance that McBride finds his way back to Minnesota’s roster or practice squad sometime in 2024, but he likely wouldn’t have been included in the first wave of cuts if so. He’ll hit waivers, and any team can claim him within the next 24 hours.
The Vikings needed an RB3 to step up in 2024, and McBride was a reasonable candidate for the job entering the summer. After Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler at the top of the ticket, McBride, kick returner Kene Nwangwu, and veteran Myles Gaskin were contending for the third running back job. Minnesota, too, could still sign a free agent like Darrell Henderson or Kareem Hunt, who live on the open market.
Yet after training camp and the preseason, Nwangwu seemed to grab the RB3 job by the neck, while Gaskin looked impressive, too. McBride didn’t do much at either venue.
Minnesota found McBride in the 7th Round of the 2023 NFL Draft, joining a Vikings RB room that already contained Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, Chandler, and Nwangwu. Outwardly, it didn’t make much sense during the draft to add McBride, but about six weeks later, Minnesota cut ties with Dalvin Cook, the Vikings RB1 from 2017 to 2022. The road was then paved for a running back by committee, including Mattison, Chandler, Nwangwu, and midseason addition Cam Akers.
McBride played in 31 games for UAB in college, tabulating remarkable numbers, with 3,523 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns. His career average per run was 7.3 yards, an astounding figure. He isn’t much of a pass-catcher, a to-be-desired trait that might’ve scared general managers during the 2023 draft.
He didn’t burst off the page in the 2023 preseason, eithger. He scored a couple of short-yardage touchdowns, yet, to the naked eye, McBride seemed to need more pro refinement.
That prognosis stands, particularly after Minnesota gave up on him this soon.
The Vikings have four running backs on the current roster: Jones, Chandler, Nwangwu, and Gaskin. Most expect the room to dwindle to three by the end of Tuesday.
McBride turned 23 in July.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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