Alexander Mattison is anticipated to be let go by the Minnesota Vikings, According to a report.

After relying on an in-house stand-in for Dalvin Cook, Minnesota has decided to shift their focus elsewhere as he enters a highly saturated market of free agent running backs.

For three years in a row, the Minnesota Vikings are introducing a fresh starter to their backfield.

On Thursday evening, Adam Schefter from ESPN announced that the Vikings had notified running back Alexander Mattison of his impending release.

Minnesota’s decision to release Mattison from his sixth year in the team has resulted in a clear cap space of almost $3.4 million for 2024. This places them just above $41 million below the NFL salary cap limit, which is breaking records this year and ranks as their fourteenth-most cap room among all teams within the league – positioning themselves strongly before free agency begins and with a new league year underway.

In 2023, Mattison failed to meet expectations as a full-time starter and was left feeling disappointed.

He never took control of the Vikings’ running game.

Last offseason, Minnesota inked Mattison to a $7 million deal over two years as their new starting tailback. With Dalvin Cook out of the picture after no viable trades came through, Mattison stepped up and showcased his skills in four relief starts during 2021. As such, the Vikings were encouraged by the possibility of receiving 80% or more of Cook’s output from Mattison while shelling out just around 20% for his services.

Regrettably, events did not unfold as expected. Mattison was unable to maintain a four-yard average per carry this season, recorded 3.5 yards or less in nine out of his sixteen games played and failed to score any ground touchdowns.

After having three impressive performances during Weeks 11-13, it seemed like he had finally found his momentum. However, an ankle injury gave Ty Chandler the opportunity to showcase his skills and ultimately take over with 157 yards in total along with a touchdown in Week 14. Consequently, for each of the last three weeks of the season, Mattison played no more than 40% of snaps on average.

Minnesota’s running back roster is currently comprised of four players, all signed through 2024. Assuming the team doesn’t acquire a top-tier free agent or use a high draft pick, it seems likely that Chandler will be given the opportunity to take over as Minnesota’s primary rusher and lead their offensive attack from the backfield in place of Mattison.

In the last four games of the season, Chandler – a sophomore pro from Nashville- took over as starting back and left quite an impression. With an average of 65 yards per game at a rate of 4.9, he showcased his potential with three runs exceeding twenty yards that brought about excitement which was conspicuously absent when Mattison dominated in the backfield. Churning out superb performances week after week earned him top-twenty placement for rushing yards and secured him position among top ten players based on how many yards they accrued from each carry during those final weeks leading to end-season break.

Excluding Chandler, whose 2024 cap hit is $1.1 million, the Twin Cities’ running back squad consists of Myles Gaskin ($985k), a seasoned player who began in 17 games for Miami Dolphins between 2020-21 but did not receive any carries in 2023; Kene Nwangwu ($1.2 million) serving as a kick return specialist with three touchdowns since his league entry in ’21 – highest among others – and DeWayne McBride($795k), yet to set foot on an NFL field till now.

According to a GIVEMESPORT key stat, Kene Nwangwu has strong potential as the top NFL kick returner since being drafted in 2021. He’s already scored three kick return TDs and ranks second with 1,879 yards. Additionally, he shares fifth place for his impressive average of 27.6 yards per kickoff return.

Despite having enough cap space to acquire a seasoned running back like Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley or Josh Jacobs through free agency, Minnesota is more likely to allocate those funds towards extending Justin Jefferson and/or giving Kirk Cousins a new contract. As such, it seems probable that the Vikings’ backfield in 2024 will be spearheaded by Chandler or selected from among Day 2 draft picks.

A loaded free agent running back class is entered by Mattison.

With the market for positions being down, teams are diligently seeking out valuable players.

It’s probable that Mattison will have to wait a considerable amount of time before receiving any interest from potential teams. Nowadays, organizations are increasingly unwilling to commit to lengthy and healthy contracts with running backs given their perceived lack of value in the NFL – they’re considered easily replaceable assets.

Even though Pro Bowl-caliber players like Austin Ekeler and D’Andre Swift exist, they are not ranked among the top four in GIVEMESPORT’s list of 2024 free agent running backs.

Mattison’s potential contribution to the passing game makes him a valuable backup option. However, with no significant injuries in sight, he is unlikely to secure a permanent starting position anytime soon.