Former Vikings RB Heads to Dolphins
Alexander Mattison will try on a new team for size for the third time in three years.
Former Vikings RB Heads to Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins reportedly signed Mattison this week, adding depth to a running back room headlined by De’Von Achane.
FOX Sports Jordan Schultz tweeted Thursday, “Sources: Former Raiders RB Alexander Mattison is signing with the Dolphins. Proven vet heads to South Beach to team up with Tua Tagovailoa and Co.”
When the deal becomes official, Mattison will join the Dolphins’ RB group:
- De’Von Achane
- Jaylen Wright
- Alexander Mattison
Miami, too, like most NFL teams, could add a tailback from this year’s draft, as the batch of rookies entering the league is extraordinarily deep.
Mattison played for the Las Vegas Raiders last season, an experiment that didn’t prosper or last very long. Zamir White was on deck for RB1 duty but struggled, and the baton traveled to Mattison, who promptly averaged 3.2 yards per carry. The Raiders ended up using players like Sincere McCormick and Ameer Abdullah (also a former Viking) down the stretch of the regular season instead of Mattison and White.
The former Viking struggled in one audition as Minnesota’s RB1 two seasons ago. The team tabbed him as the lead guy entering 2023, and the experiment faltered. Mattison tabulated 180 carries for 700 yards and zero touchdowns. The veteran runner was injured in November, and second-year halfback Ty Chandler took over, immediately providing more burst and production, seeming to cement an enhanced role in 2024.
In fact, with Mattison as the top guy, Minnesota didn’t score a rushing touchdown until Week 8 last season, if that can be believed.
From 2019 to 2022, though, Mattison was quite impressive in the Vikings’ offense, functioning as a reliable RB2 behind Dalvin Cook for four seasons. When Cook would miss games, Vikings fans were never too worried about Mattison taking over for a week or two. Perhaps his career can be rekindled in Miami.
For the Vikings at running back, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah re-signed Aaron Jones last week, and he’s in line to hold down RB1 duties in 2025, though a halfback from the aforementioned draft class will likely be onboarded to lessen Jones’ workload.
The Dolphins’ offense ranked 22nd leaguewide per DVOA in 2024, and the rushing offense checked in at No. 30, also known as third-worst.
Miami signed offensive guard James Daniels this week to help fix the trenches and may draft a lineman in Round 1 this April.
Mattison will turn 27 this summer.
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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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