{"id":106970,"date":"2024-03-19T07:43:25","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T07:43:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aweu.info\/?p=106970"},"modified":"2024-03-19T07:51:11","modified_gmt":"2024-03-19T07:51:11","slug":"vikings-pro-bowler-sends-message-to-former-teammate-after-free-agency-exit-kieu-linh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/vikings-pro-bowler-sends-message-to-former-teammate-after-free-agency-exit-kieu-linh\/","title":{"rendered":"Vikings\u2019 Pro Bowler Sends Message to Former Teammate After Free Agency Exit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The\u00a0Minnesota Vikings\u00a0cut\u00a0Alexander Mattison\u00a0on February 29, sending him to free agency and paving the way for a changing of the guard at running back.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1753042087-e1710805920528.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" alt=\"C.J. Ham, Minnesota Vikings\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Nearly three weeks later, the former third-round pick (2019) has found a new home, leaving friend and former teammate\u00a0C.J. Ham\u00a0to send him some parting sentiments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy brother,\u201d\u00a0Ham posted\u00a0along with saluting and gorilla emojis in a post on X on March 18.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBREAKING: Free agent RB Alexander Mattison is signing with the #Raiders, sources tell @BleacherReport,\u201d\u00a0Bleacher Report\u2019s Jordan Schultz reported\u00a0on March 18. \u201cStill just 25 years old, Mattison had 17 TDs in five seasons with the #Vikings.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mattison also\u00a0dropped a reaction post\u00a0on X, formerly Twitter, not saying much and letting emojis do the talking for him.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_1_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-1 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"CLyKy__p_4QDFTBPwgUdVi4GVA\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"art\" dir=\"ltr\">\u270d\ud83c\udffe\ud83d\ude0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qrhrNk3D6v\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/t.co\/qrhrNk3D6v<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Alexander Mattison (@AlexMattison22) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlexMattison22\/status\/1769849511520981439?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">March 18, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Mattison is in line to compete with incumbent second-year back\u00a0Zamir White\u00a0for the starting job. He follows in the wake of\u00a0Josh Jacobs, who left in free agency for the\u00a0Green Bay Packers, leading to\u00a0Aaron Jones\u2018 ouster.<\/p>\n<p>Ham, 30, earned his second Pro Bowl nod last season. He starts his\u00a0two-year, $8.6 million contract extension\u00a0this season.<\/p>\n<p>The former Viking, Mattison, set career highs with 180 carries and 700 yards last season. But that is just a 3.9-yard-per-carry average while he also failed to cross the goal line on the ground. Mattison turned 10 attempts from 10 yards out or less for a net loss of five yards.<\/p>\n<p>The Vikings\u2019 rushing attack ranked 29th this past season. Mattison was supplanted as the starter for the final three weeks of the campaign following an injury in Week 14.<\/p>\n<p>Mattison missed Week 15 entirely and returned behind 2022 fifth-round pick\u00a0Ty Chandler.<\/p>\n<p>Chandler, 25, toted the rock 102 times for 461 yards \u2013 a 4.6 YPA clip \u2013 and three scores. He tallied 258 yards and two scores on 53 carries in those\u00a0final four weeks. He also added 69 yards on eight receptions in his stint as RB1.<\/p>\n<p>That is likely over with the arrival of Jones in free agency. The 29-year-old endured an injury-marred season in 2023, finishing with 142 carries, 656 yards, and two rushing scores.<\/p>\n<p>Like Chandler, however, Jones finished the season strong.<\/p>\n<h2>Aaron Jones\u2019 Strong Finish Bodes Well for Vikings<\/h2>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-4915261 visible aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1763694656-e1710804298211.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" alt=\"Aaron Jones, Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings\" width=\"780\" height=\"438\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4915261\" data-lazy-load=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1763694656-e1710804298211.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" \/><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_4915261\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n<p>Jones rattled off three straight 100-plus-yard performances from\u00a0Week 16 through Week 18. He put up two more such games\u00a0in the postseason. The Vikings could utilize Jones, who split carries throughout his career with the Packers, and Jones in a similar situation.<\/p>\n<p>Their respective track records and the money suggest that it will be the veteran who gets the lion\u2019s share of the work out of the backfield.<\/p>\n<p>Jones, a one-time Pro Bowler, is earning\u00a0$7 million on a one-year contract\u00a0signed in free agency.<\/p>\n<p>Chandler, who in Week 15 of this past season recorded the Vikings\u2019\u00a0first 100-yard game\u00a0by an individual since Week 10 of the 2022 slate, will earn $986,000 in the third year of his\u00a0four-year, $3.9 million contract.<\/p>\n<p>The good news for Chandler is that he and Jones should both see ample work in the passing game in addition to traditional usage.<\/p>\n<p>The Vikings are breaking in a new Week 1 starter for the first time in seven seasons.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Vikings Entering New Era at QB After Signing Sam Darnold in Free Agency<\/h2>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-4915263 visible aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1810446682-e1710804499270.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" alt=\"Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings\" width=\"780\" height=\"438\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4915263\" data-lazy-load=\"\" data-src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GettyImages-1810446682-e1710804499270.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" \/><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_4915263\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\">\n<p>Sam Darnold\u00a0signed a\u00a0one-year, $10 million contract\u00a0with the Vikings in free agency. He steps into a situation\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0tight end\u00a0Travis Kelce\u00a0and former\u00a0Philadelphia Eagles\u00a0center\u00a0Jason Kelce\u00a0believe he will thrive in with\u00a0Kevin O\u2019Connell\u00a0as head coach and\u00a0Justin Jefferson\u00a0leading a strong contingent of options in the passing game.<\/p>\n<p>Minnesota has also long been speculated as a\u00a0prime trade candidate\u00a0in the 2024 draft with potential eyes for a quarterback.<\/p>\n<p>They are armed with two first-round picks; potentially enough ammo to jump into the top five.<\/p>\n<p>General Manager\u00a0Kwesi Adofo-Mensah\u00a0acknowledged their added flexibility after acquiring the second first-rounder from the\u00a0Houston Texans. But the Vikings will hold a private workout with Michigan quarterback\u00a0J.J. McCarthy,\u00a0per Sports Illustrated\u2019s Albert Breer\u00a0on March 18.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_9_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-9 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"CLmIuZfq_4QDFcdPwgUd1DIJ6g\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The\u00a0Minnesota Vikings\u00a0cut\u00a0Alexander Mattison\u00a0on February 29, sending him to free agency and paving the way for a changing of the guard at running back. Nearly three weeks later,&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nfl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106970"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106970\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nflquynh.aweu.info\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}