What Happened With Kene Nwangwu?
The Minnesota Vikings got their roster to 53 players on Tuesday, and to do so, they cut speedy running back Kene Nwangwu. He had looked like a legitimate running back during the preseason, and the new kickoff rules seemed to work in his favor. What gives?
What Happened With Kene Nwangwu?
As Kevin O’Connell heads into the regular season, he will do so with only two running backs as of cutdown day. Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler are the entirety of a running back room that needed significant help last season. Once Alexander Mattison flopped, the position became a problem, and there isn’t more depth this time.
It’s fair to argue that Jones represents a sizable upgrade for Minnesota. He may be the best running back the franchise has employed since peak Dalvin Cook. The problem is that he also has an extensive injury history, and the minute he goes out, everything falls onto the shoulders of Ty Chandler.
Last season Chandler looked worthy and capable of holding down a starting roster spot. Mattison should have been downgraded well before he was, and Chandler paired with the acquired Cam Akers to solidify the running back room. If he were to start for a significant period this season, the Vikings should still feel like they are in good hands.
With Nwangwu gone though, Minnesota can’t roll with just a pair of running backs. It should be assumed that the Vikings were not enamored enough by the preseason performance to believe that the speedy back was a legitimate threat in the backfield. If he was only going to be used as a kick returner, then the new rules come into focus.
The NFL has a different setup for kickoffs in 2024, and it may benefit players who can make quick cuts. Nwangwu is a significant speedster when considering straight-line burst, but his ability to cut and immediately move is less certain. Chandler and Brandon Powell should now be assumed to take over those duties.
It was jarring to see Nwangwu sent packing, but if his usage was really that limited, the Vikings would always be better served by using the roster spot elsewhere.
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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