5 worst decisions Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made in year two as Vikings GM
By Adam Carlson
Bad decision No. 2
Going all-in on a running back
To be fair, it's hard to be mad about the two-year deal worth $7 million that Alexander Mattison signed with the Minnesota Vikings. It's not a significant amount of salary cap space and they needed an experienced runner on the roster since they would let go of Dalvin Cook.
It wasn't a financial mistake, but the error was thinking that Alexander Mattison could be a solid RB1 for the Vikings. It was a mistake that loomed the entire season and put Minnesota as one of the last teams in the league to score a rushing touchdown.
Speaking of rushing touchdowns, Mattison didn't get one in 2023. He failed to reach the end zone in any of his 190 carries and only picked up 28 first downs on the ground in 16 games played during the season.
Adofo-Mensah attempted to help the situation by trading for Cam Akers from the Los Angeles Rams and head coach Kevin O'Connell shifted Ty Chandler into a bigger role, but the Minnesota Vikings still ended the season with the sixth-fewest rushing yards (1,661) and rushing first downs (93-T).