Detroit Lions, NFC North Position Rankings: Running Backs

3. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings spent this offseason doing the most jumbling in the backfield. First, they decided to move on from Hall of Fame lock Adrian Peterson. It’s a hard thing for a team to do, but father time is undefeated and he was beginning to be too much of an injury risk and his age was showing.

Then Minnesota decided to go out and sign ex-Oakland Raider Latavius Murray. In Murray’s time with the Raiders, he proved to be a dependable workhorse runner that can really help close a game out. So basically what they wanted Peterson to do, but younger with some breakout potential still in grasp.

Then draft day came and they pounced on arguably the best back in the draft in Dalvin Cook. Cook may not explode onto the scene this season, but having a guy with superstar potential as a backup is nice.

If I was a betting man I would bet everything that Cook’s coming out party happens against the Lions because, of course, it would.

The other contributor that the Vikings have is a familiar face to the team. Jerick McKinnon is about to be in his third season and has solidified himself as a solid third down back. Last season, the Vikings ran McKinnon probably more than they wanted to. And though he wasn’t great, he wasn’t all that bad either.

In about 2 -3 years this might be a backfield worth calling home about. But today, they are just a middle-tier group in my opinion.