The Minnesota Vikings are planning to cut their leading rushing for the second year in a row.
Last offseason, the Vikings cut Dalvin Cook, who had led the team with 1,173 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns in 2022. This offseason, the team plans to cut running back Alexander Mattison, who led the team with 700 rushing yards in 2023.
Mattison had signed a two-year, $7M deal with the Vikings last year. He had a base salary of $3.3M for 2024 and will count for $4M against the salary cap in 2024.
The Vikings may feel comfortable eating that amount in order to get an upgrade at the position. There should be several top running backs available this offseason. Additionally, former fifth-round pick Ty Chandler looked good when he received an opportunity late last season. Chandler rushed for 461 yards last season and averaged 4.5 yards per carry.
Whether they sign a running back or go with Chandler, it’s very clear the Vikings did not feel Mattison was good enough last season to warrant bringing back in 2024. Mattison oddly failed to rush for a touchdown in 180 carries over 16 games. He had largely been replaced in the lineup late in the season.
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