Minnesota Vikings Training Camp 2020: Previewing the Running Backs

The Minnesota Vikings have a decision to make with their starting running back, but how does the rest of the roster stack up heading into training camp.

The Minnesota Vikings have done a tremendous job keeping their players happy over the years as they usually take care of contract situations before they become a problem. While players at almost every position have gotten paid, there is an elephant in the room when it comes time for NFL teams to pay a running back.

The Vikings are in that dreadful situation where they have to make the decision whether to pay a dynamic running back or agree with the analytical side of things and move on to a younger and cheaper option.

The dynamic running back of course is Dalvin Cook, who is looking for a big payday after having a career season in 2019. There’s a sense that something will get done between Cook and the Vikings prior to camp, but the question looming over the season is what if it doesn’t?

That would lead to Alexander Mattison getting a shot as the lead back after a season in which he had some metrics that were even better than Cook. Going further, the Vikings have the tandem of Mike Boone and Ameer Abdullah, who were encased in an emergency booth and could be used again if things go south during 2020.

The bottom line is that even if running backs don’t “matter” in the modern NFL, the engine of a run-first team lives in the backfield. With Cook’s contract situation looming over the team, the Vikings will have their hands full trying to find a contingency plan for a season that many would deem must win.