Myles Gaskin Suddenly Has a Big Plate
It seemed curious that the Minnesota Vikings would waive Kene Nwangwu. For some time, he has shown impressive straight-line speed as a kick returner.
Myles Gaskin Suddenly Has a Big Plate
It wasn’t until this preseason that he started to look like a more traditional running back. As he was starting to turn a corner, though, Myles Gaskin ate his lunch.
First, the Vikings sent Kene Nwangwu packing, and he landed with the New Orleans Saints (before failing a physical). Myles Gaskin was added to the Vikings practice squad, but he’ll quickly be elevated to the 53-man roster.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted that Gaskin will be Kevin O’Connell’s primary kick returner. He will also operate as the third running back behind Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler. Gaskin was set to see time on Minnesota’s roster last season but was ultimately cut. It wasn’t until the running back room started to get thin that he was brought back.
There shouldn’t be much need for Gaskin to work out of the backfield this year. He is capable as a running back and has fared well in both pass protection and the receiving game. Assuming Aaron Jones can stay healthy, O’Connell has a legitimate star in the backfield. Chandler is also a capable starter behind him.
In the return game, it should be expected that Gaskin will work with Brandon Powell. While the running back is set to be the primary option with the new kickoff rule, Powell likely will return punts. Gaskin doesn’t have the same speed or burst as Nwangwu, but he is a shifty runner who can change direction.
We didn’t see anything earth-shattering from Minnesota with the new kickoff rules during the preseason. Under the new roles, teams should expect to try different techniques for both kicking and receiving. How that manifests for the Vikings and to what extent Gaskin plays in it remains to be seen.
It seems weird that the Vikings pivoted this way, but they obviously see something they like.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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