Free agent running back Latavius Murray signed by Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings have announced the signing of former Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray as part of their 2017 free agent acquisitions.

The Minnesota Vikings continue to be active in free agency and announced another signing. This one came in the middle of the night and fills another big need on a team trying to put together a championship caliber roster.

Running back was the focus of this signing, as the team was able to bring former Oakland Raiders rusher Latavius Murray to the franchise to add to Jerick McKinnon and C.J. Ham at the current position.

Here is the Twitter post from the official Minnesota Vikings account announcing the signing of Latavius Murray:

With the futures of Adrian Peterson and Matt Asiata up in the air, Minnesota took the step of signing a quality player to contribute. Murray was one of the top running backs available in free agency, showing a unique blend of experience, youth, and ability that made the Vikings pull the trigger on the deal.

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Here is what the official Vikings website had to say about Murray in the announcement welcoming him to the team:

"“Murray blossomed when he became the Raiders No. 1 back in 2015 when he had 266 carries for 1,066 yards and six scores and made his first Pro Bowl. He rushed 12 times for 48 yards and added five receptions for 29 yards against Minnesota that season.”"

Latavius Murray was a 4th round draft pick in 2013 from UCF. At 27 years old, he has a bright future ahead of him and has shown proficiency as one of the NFL’s better blockers from the backfield.

Next: Vikings free agency tracker

Congratulations to Latavius Murray on reaching a deal with the Minnesota Vikings. This should be a mutually beneficial partnership for the player and the team who are both looking for a bit of a fresh start at running back.