5 Vikings who have offered almost nothing to the team in 2022

Kene Nwangwu – RB/KR

Kene Nwangwu was damn near a Pro Bowl return man last season. This cat showed great burst, vision, and speed returning two kickoffs for scores. It was assumed he’d be the same type of threat again in 2022, and he would even have a role on offense in Kevin O’Connell’s innovative scheme.

He has failed to do both. Nwangwu hasn’t had a lot of opportunities to return kicks this season, as the majority have sailed over his head. Teams clearly understand the threat he is and they are simply not taking any chances by kicking it well over his melon. The concern is how he’s looked when he has gotten a chance to return a kick.

Nwangwu has shown little vision or burst. He kind of just takes the kick and runs straight ahead, usually being brought down around the 20 or 25-yard line. He has had 14 chances to take one to the house but is averaging 22.9 yards a return which is about 10 yards less than a season ago.

Offensively, Nwangwu hasn’t gotten a sniff. The team has been more than content to feed Dalvin Cook. The other scraps have gone to Alexander Mattison, and a couple of touches have gone to receivers like Justin Jefferson or Jalen Reagor.

Overall, Nwangwu’s impact on the 2022 Minnesota Vikings and their record has been very minimal.