Vikings RB Alexander Mattison Reflects on Replacing Dalvin Cook
Matthew Davis
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Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison has been waiting for this moment.
When training camp kicks off in three weeks, Mattison will take the lead back role in place of star running back Dalvin Cook, whom the Vikings released on June 9. Mattison, a third-round NFL Draft pick in 2019, relishes his opportunity as the leader for the first time since his college days at Boise State.
“For me, it’s a great opportunity to step into the role, the limelight and the position I’ve always dreamt of being in,” Mattison told The Star Tribune‘s Michael Rand on Wednesday, July 5. “All the work I’ve put in to this point, all the work following in [Cook’s] footsteps, side by side, challenging each other every day, prepared me for a moment like this where I can have the opportunity to seize what’s in front of me.”
Mattison, 25, also recognizes the shortness of life in the NFL as a running back. Part of Cook’s cut stemmed from age as he will turn 28 on August 10th. Running back contract value often sinks at age 30 due to injuries plus wear and tear.
“The running backs get the short end of the stick all the time,” Mattison told Rand. “We’re very undervalued.”
Alexander Mattison has a lot to prove
While he has produced as the Vikings’ second back, Mattison has much to prove upon taking the lead role. Mattison rushed for a career high five touchdowns last season and a career high 491 yards on 134 carries in 2021, but he has yet to match Cook’s explosive play ability.
Cook scored touchdowns of 70-plus and 80-plus yards in his career. He reeled off at least one run over 65 yards in each of the past four seasons with the Vikings as a true game changer. Mattison never eclipsed 48 yards on a big run in his four-year career with the Vikings. He notably didn’t eclipse 25 yards in two of the past three seasons.
Minnesota can count on Mattison to gain gradual yardage amid his career average of 4.1 yards per carry. He can also contribute in the passing game, and he showed the most flashes of that in 2021 when he caught 32 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown.
The Vikings have a pass-first offense with quarterback Kirk Cousins and star wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Mattison will need to complement the passing game without being the big-play threat Cook once posed.
That doesn’t mean Mattison couldn’t change the narrative this season. He posted career long runs of 70 yards and 59 yards with Boise State during his final two collegiate seasons, so the potential is present.
Mattison is likely to hit a career high in carries this season, which gives him more opportunities to burn defenses for big gains. Based on Cook’s previous workload in the past four seasons, Mattison could easily receive 240 attempts this fall.
Camp Circuit Continues for Alexander Mattison
Until Mattison arrives in Eagan for training camp this month, he’s occupied with his own youth football camps. That included one at Hamline University in St. Paul last month, and Mattison has one more coming up in Boise on July 8.
“There are all these components of my life that never pointed at the gridiron or the field. They pointed at being successful in life,” Mattison told Rand. “The bigger picture wasn’t just to make it to the NFL, but beyond that. The goals were setting myself up for success and an attainable life beyond what the field can provide.”
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
