5 Vikings whose jobs are in danger following the 2023 NFL Draft

Player No. 1

Alexander Mattison - RB

When I started writing this article, I put Dalvin Cook in the opening slide. But after an offseason of speculation and the NFL Draft, Cook may not have had a job to begin with. A more current example of a Vikings player in danger is Alexander Mattison, who signed a two-year, $7 million contract in free agency but whose job is anything but secure.

Mattison has waited four years for his opportunity as a starter. His return to the Vikings, as opposed to signing elsewhere, signals that he'll likely get a crack at the starting job. But Mattison has been a replacement-level back since coming into the league and is coming off a season where he had a career-low 74 carries.

Part of Mattison's usage may have been dictated by the Vikings' inefficiency in the running game, but it's possible they could be pinning that on Cook. However, the Vikings drafted DeWayne McBride, who led the FBS with 1,713 rushing yards and averaged 7.4 yards per carry last season, and still have Ty Chandler, who the Vikings' coaching staff was high on prior to suffering a broken hand last October.

Mattison should at least enter training camp as the leader of any committee – especially if Cook is traded or released – but his hold on the starting job is anything but secure. If Chandler or McBride impress during camp, Mattison could return to the same role he's held for the past four years.