The Vikings Have a New-ish 3rd Running Back
If you have been paying attention all this preseason, you will see that a new running back has emerged for the Minnesota Vikings. You know that Kene Nwangwu has been on the roster for the past two seasons. He hasn’t been much of a runner, though, until now.
The Vikings Have a New-ish 3rd Running Back
After ripping off a long touchdown run during the first preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Kene Nwangwu followed up the performance with 45 yards on seven carries against the Cleveland Browns. He has operated as the top back through the preseason, and it’s hard not to see Kevin O’Connell deciding on him to round out the room.
Last season, Alexander Mattison flopped as a starter, putting the position as a whole in shambles. It took a bit before Cam Akers was acquired, and then he had to establish himself before claiming the starting role. Following an injury, things were finally turned over to Ty Chandler, and it looked like Minnesota had an answer.
With Aaron Jones atop the depth chart now and Chandler behind him, O’Connell should feel good about the position. A third talent at running back is a must, and Nwangwu certainly looks the part more than Myles Gaskin. Gaskin was cut multiple times by Minnesota last season, and he’s fine as a veteran placeholder. However, the emergence of Nwangwu as a runner makes him unnecessary.
It stands to reason that Nwangwu will remain primarily a special teams player. He should excel with the new kickoff rules, and his speed will be displayed each time the opposition has to kick it deep. He has shown that he can also operate out of the backfield.
In no season has Nwangwu ever had more than 13 carries since making it to the NFL. He shouldn’t be expected to blow by that number with Jones in the fold, but there is also no reason why O’Connell can’t get him involved. Nwangwu has operated between the tackles this preseason, and he is also capable as a pass catcher. Nwangwu brings an entirely different skill set than either Jones or Chandler, and that could be a nice change of pace.
The Vikings roster will need to accommodate additional bodies in a few other key positions, so it makes good sense to roll with the three running backs and include Nwangwu among them.
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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