Minnesota Vikings 53 man roster projection: Pre-training camp edition

Running backs (4)

This year’s running back grouping is going to look similar to last year’s. Of course, established veteran Latavius Murray is now with the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota drafted a rusher, so there will be a bit of a shakeup.

Here are the players expected to make the roster from this positional grouping:

1. Dalvin Cook
2. Alexander Mattison
3. Mike Boone
4. C.J. Ham

This is going to be a tough group to predict because so much rests on who the team will be using as their return specialist on special teams. If Ameer Abdullah gets the nod, he will be included but the team could get more value out of a player who could contribute outside of special teams as well. Still, Minnesota seems to really like Abdullah..for some reason.

Of course, Cook will be the starter who will look to prove he can stay healthy enough to put together a season where he can gain 1,000 yards from scrimmage for the first time. Even if he can’t, the Minnesota Vikings should feel solid enough for powerhouse Mattison as the backup.

Boone is a nice insurance policy for the team. Even with the struggles on the offensive line last year, he averaged 4.3 yards per carry on his 11 attempts. He likely won’t see the field too much unless there are injuries, but he is a capable back.

Last year, Roc Thomas was on the team’s 53, but he will likely fall short this year. His lack of effectiveness combined with legal issues this offseason is a bad combination for his future.

Barely missed the cut: Ameer Abdullah