The Vikings made an unexpected but unsurprising move on Thursday when they informed running back Alexander Mattison that he is being released one year into a two-year deal. Previously, it had been thought that there would be minimal cap savings from cutting Mattison, but the move actually frees up a little over $3 million in space. In that context, it must've been a fairly easy decision to move on from a player who had a very poor 2023 season after being handed the starting role.
Now the focus turns towards the 2024 campaign and what the Vikings' backfield might look like with neither Mattison nor Dalvin Cook in the picture for the first time in seven years. The one name that jumps out as the current favorite for Minnesota's RB1 role is Ty Chandler, who took that job from Mattison down the stretch run of this past season.
A fifth-round pick out of North Carolina in 2022, Chandler finished his second season with 461 rushing yards (averaging 4.5 yards per carry), three touchdowns, and 159 receiving yards. Nearly all of that production came in the second half of the season after Cam Akers tore his Achilles. It was an impressive stretch highlighted by big games against the Broncos (110 yards on 14 touches) and Bengals (26 touches, 157 yards, TD). Chandler's burst is undeniable, his vision is promising, and he hasn't yet fumbled any of his 129 career touches.
The Vikings will undoubtedly add to their RB room this offseason, as the only other players under contract are Kene Nwangwu, Myles Gaskin, and DeWayne McBride (Akers is a restricted free agent who could potentially be re-signed). But listening to Kevin O'Connell talk about Chandler at the combine this week, it sounds like the Vikings have a lot of belief in the third-year back.
"I think the way Ty finished the season was a real positive," he said. "Going year two into year three will be a huge opportunity for him to continue his growth. Seeing him really come on there and kinda start to assert himself was a real positive for our team."
Chandler appears to be a great fit for the Vikings' offense as a back with big-play acceleration and the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. The primary thing he needs to keep improving upon to solidify a major role this year is his pass protection. That was seemingly the main reason why the Vikings stuck with Mattison for as long as they did last season.
Who might Minnesota add at running back this spring? It's a star-studded free agent class, but it seems unlikely that the Vikings will shell out for a big name like Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard, Derrick Henry, or Austin Ekeler. You never know, of course, but spending significant money on a veteran RB doesn't seem to align with the competitive rebuild timeline or Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's analytics background. What's probably more likely is the Vikings adding one or two backs who are either a lower-cost free agent or a middle-round draft pick. That would give them depth and variety while also allowing Chandler the opportunity to seize the No. 1 job.
"It's always a position that I think, whether free agency or the draft, you're looking to continue to infuse talent and different skill sets into that room," O'Connell said.
More must-reads: