After a single season leading the Vikings’ rushing offense, Alexander Mattison is set to depart from Minnesota.
According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, the Vikings have officially notified Mattison of his release, signaling the end of his tenure with the team.
Mattison, who previously served as the backup running back for four seasons, had the opportunity to step into a more prominent role in 2023 following the departure of Dalvin Cook. He had signed a two-year deal with the Vikings at the time, but his inability to capitalize on the starting position has led to his release after just one year.
Despite the increased playing time, Mattison’s performance fell short of expectations. He managed to tally 700 rushing yards on 180 carries, averaging a modest 3.9 yards per attempt and failing to score any touchdowns throughout the season.
Struggling to achieve consistent success, Mattison never reached the milestone of 100-plus rushing yards in a game and fell short of the 45-yard mark in 11 out of 16 appearances, including the final three games of the season.
The Vikings’ rushing offense also struggled as a whole, ranking 29th in the league with a mere 1,553 yards and only seven rushing touchdowns, three of which were scored by quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
With Mattison’s departure, the Vikings’ backfield will rely on Ty Chandler as the primary returning back who saw significant action last season, accumulating 102 carries for 461 yards in 17 games, including four starts in place of Mattison. The remaining running backs on the roster combined for just 20 rushing yards.
