Vikings Could Sign Familiar Running Back
Former Minnesota Viking Cam Akers signed with the Houston Texans this week after a couple of months of fans’ belief that Akers would reunite with the purple team. No cigar.
Vikings Could Sign Familiar Running Back
However, Minnesota could be interested in former Golden Gophers standout running back Mohamed Ibrahim.
KSTP’s Darren Wolfson said on SKOR North this week, “Heck, maybe end up signing Mohamed Ibrahim, who apparently they’ve kicked the tires on.”
And the idea — at least the exploration of Ibrahim — checks out because the Vikings could use an extra running back. Akers was supposed to slide into the RB3 role, but it didn’t come to fruition. As of July 23rd, these are the Vikings’ running backs:
- Aaron Jones
- Ty Chandler
- Kene Nwangwu
- DeWayne McBride
- Myles Gaskin
Nwangwu, McBride, and Gaskin are hefty question marks as RB3s, and Minnesota saw the importance of RB depth last season when Alexander Mattison, Chandler, and Akers encountered injuries.
Ibrahim went undrafted in April 2023, latching onto the Lions’ 90-man roster from the UDFA wire last offseason. He was quite prolific at the University of Minnesota, though, tallying 4,668 rushing yards on 867 attempts (a 5.4 yards per carry average) with 53 touchdowns. Ibrahim appeared in 41 career games as a Gopher. But Ibrahim departed the Lions at the end of training camp and the preseason. He returned to Detroit, however, in October for a practice squad assignment.
The soon-to-be 26-year-old was a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten in 2020 and 2022 and probably would’ve earned the recognition in 2021 if not for injury. Ibrahim was also a Third-Team All-American in 2020 and the Ameche–Dayne Running Back of the Year in 2020.
Ibrahim is 5’8″ and 203 pounds with 4.5-forty speed. The only knock on a possible Vikings relationship is experience. He played in just one game for the 2023 Lions, earning no offensive snaps and, thus, no rushing attempts in the NFL. Ibrahim has returned one kick for 22 yards in his brief NFL career.
Pro Football Network‘s Tony Pauline scouted Ibrahim leading into last year’s draft: “Ibrahim is a competitive team player with high character and terrific intelligence. He lacks next-level size and speed, but his approach to the game and ability to produce anytime he handles the ball are appealing.”
The Vikings have one former Gopher on the current roster — new linebacker Blake Cashman, a teammate of Ibrahim in 2018.
Minnesota reportedly held a Top 30 visit with Ibrahim during the build-up to the 2023 NFL Draft.
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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