The Minnesota Vikings face an interesting dilemma at running back in the off-season.
Dalvin Cook, the team’s starter, enters the offseason with a potential out in his contract. Should the Vikings choose to release or trade Cook, they would save $7.8 million toward the cap and incur a penalty of $6.2 million.
At 27 years old, Cook has been with the team since 2017 playing in 73 games for the Vikings. This season, he’s crossed the 1,000-yard threshold for the fourth straight season rushing for 1,173 yards.
Injuries continue to creep into the mind of people. Cook played a full season for the first time in his NFL career this season. Since 2018, Cook has missed 13 games to injury, including a combined nine games in 2018 and 2021.
More pressing is the uncertainty around backup running back Alexander Mattison.
Mattison is set to enter free agency with his contract expiring after the season. Although Mattison’s impact has been limited this season, there’s a chance that Mattison finds himself in a situation where he can inherit a favorable situation when it comes to touches.
As a result, the Vikings will likely be shopping for a running back. Knowing that it’s important to break down the position for Kevin O’Connell’s offense.
Even though a complimentary running back often goes unheralded, their roles have begun to increase in NFL offenses. Bell cow running backs are the mermaids of NFL offenses, often ceasing to exist in nothing more than storytelling.
That reality begs the question: What traits does a running back need in Kevin O’Connell’s offense?
That question isn’t always clear cut but knowing the scheme, here are some traits that help running backs in this system.