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Running Back Committee, or Will There Be a Standout?


vike daddy

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I hope the team finds more usefulness out of Mattison while he is around than they have been able to squeeze out of him this year and then moves on from him as soon as practical. I would rather have someone else in tandem with Chandler, but for now they should dance with the girl they brought to the dance.

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Head coach Kevin O’Connell said that Alexander Mattison will look toward re-joining practice this week but was uncertain on who would start this Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

The interesting thing that O’Connell did say was that Chandler “is absolutely a guy that is going to see a featured role in our offense.” What does that mean? That’s hard to say for certain.

https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/2023/12/18/vikings-alexander-mattison-return-to-practice-ty-chandler-featured-role/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm

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11 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

Head coach Kevin O’Connell said that Alexander Mattison will look toward re-joining practice this week but was uncertain on who would start this Sunday against the Detroit Lions.

The interesting thing that O’Connell did say was that Chandler “is absolutely a guy that is going to see a featured role in our offense.” What does that mean? That’s hard to say for certain.

https://vikingswire.usatoday.com/2023/12/18/vikings-alexander-mattison-return-to-practice-ty-chandler-featured-role/?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm

Sounds you like just keep playing the guy with the hot hand. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Easily correctable. Willingness to block from a running back is the biggest issue. Chandler doesn’t seem hesitant to stick his nose in there, so that’s a good sign to expect improvement. 

I’m honestly expecting a new RB coach/run game coordinator this offseason. Thomas Brown is a guy I’d love to snag if the Panthers clean house. I know O’Connell tried to poach him from LA. 

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19 minutes ago, SemperFeist said:

I’m honestly expecting a new RB coach/run game coordinator this offseason. Thomas Brown is a guy I’d love to snag if the Panthers clean house. I know O’Connell tried to poach him from LA. 

He shouldn't have been retained after last year...now with basically the same running game despite doing everything in their power to make it better, they have to know what the problem is...Modkins. 

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I’m not overly knowledgeable when it comes to blocking schemes, so I don’t know really know how closely the scheme for pass protection and the scheme for run blocking go hand in hand, but they need to do something different with their run blocking. I’d say they should go back to the Kubiak style zone run blocking, because this o-line was built for it. And it was good. But with Cleveland gone, the two guards aren’t well suited for moving out in space. 

At the end of the day, I think it’s simple, Kwesi needs to take a page from Detroit and Philadelphia. The o-line just needs to get beefier along the interior. And it starts with finding a Bradbury replacement. 

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41 minutes ago, SemperFeist said:

I’m not overly knowledgeable when it comes to blocking schemes, so I don’t know really know how closely the scheme for pass protection and the scheme for run blocking go hand in hand, but they need to do something different with their run blocking. I’d say they should go back to the Kubiak style zone run blocking, because this o-line was built for it. And it was good. But with Cleveland gone, the two guards aren’t well suited for moving out in space. 

At the end of the day, I think it’s simple, Kwesi needs to take a page from Detroit and Philadelphia. The o-line just needs to get beefier along the interior. And it starts with finding a Bradbury replacement. 

I'm sure you didn't mean it this way, but the "beef" along Detroit's and Philadelphia's lines are important, but perhaps not as important as their mastering technique. They're not only big and strong, but they are highly proficient at footwork and angles.

Edited by Captain Relax
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  • 1 month later...

And then there’s Cam Akers. A couple things are working against him.

For starters, there’s the Achilles tear and recovery. Akers has previously worked through major injury so there’s likely some concern about the runner’s ability to get and stay healthy. And then there’s the broader landscape of the running back room in Minnesota. The Vikings already have Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, DeWayne McBride, and Myles Gaskin under contract. Does Akers as the sixth make sense?

Keeping him would mean handing over more than $1.5 million. Too expensive? Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will need to make the call.

https://purpleptsd.com/2024/vikings/opinion/vikings-next-signings/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

 

who do we want on the roster this year, running back wise?

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10 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

And then there’s Cam Akers. A couple things are working against him.

For starters, there’s the Achilles tear and recovery. Akers has previously worked through major injury so there’s likely some concern about the runner’s ability to get and stay healthy. And then there’s the broader landscape of the running back room in Minnesota. The Vikings already have Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, DeWayne McBride, and Myles Gaskin under contract. Does Akers as the sixth make sense?

Keeping him would mean handing over more than $1.5 million. Too expensive? Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will need to make the call.

https://purpleptsd.com/2024/vikings/opinion/vikings-next-signings/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

 

who do we want on the roster this year, running back wise?

1.5 million seems too much, given what we already committed to Mattison, although I like him more as a runner.

I'd like a mix of Chandler, Mattison (as a change of pace bruiser) and a late round rookie/UDFA.

McBride did't show anything special last preseason, Gaskin is nothing special, Akers is injured and Nwangwu is purely a return specialist (whose value will be decreasing, due to new KO-rules/ the increasing number of touchbacks)

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20 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

And then there’s Cam Akers. A couple things are working against him.

For starters, there’s the Achilles tear and recovery. Akers has previously worked through major injury so there’s likely some concern about the runner’s ability to get and stay healthy. And then there’s the broader landscape of the running back room in Minnesota. The Vikings already have Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, DeWayne McBride, and Myles Gaskin under contract. Does Akers as the sixth make sense?

Keeping him would mean handing over more than $1.5 million. Too expensive? Kwesi Adofo-Mensah will need to make the call.

https://purpleptsd.com/2024/vikings/opinion/vikings-next-signings/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

 

who do we want on the roster this year, running back wise?

I'd probably let Akers come back (although I wouldn't expect them to tender him an offer under RFA rules, as I think the author is wrong about the number, as I think they'd actually have to give him $2.9M), since he was far more effective in this offense than the others.  We'll just have to see what his timetable is. 

However, my money is still on Nwangwu being cut.  He's just never been impressive.  I do think they'll end up drafting another RB late just to add to the depth, since they'll need it, as only Chandler is under contract beyond this year.  They only had 5 RBs on the roster last training camp and Akers will probably be put on PUP regardless to start, so I'm not even counting him as one of the spots. 

 

Edited by swede700
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