The Las Vegas Raiders are looking for help in the backfield following the departure of running back Josh Jacobs in the 2024 NFL offseason. And one of the players they seem to be taking a close look at is former Minnesota Vikings running back Alexander Mattison, who will be swinging by Las Vegas to meet the Raiders this Monday, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
“Free agent RB Alexander Mattison is visiting the #Raiders today, sources tell @BleacherReport. Multiple teams are in play for Mattison at this point.”
Mattison has never played for another team outside of the Vikings so far in his NFL career. He suited up for the Vikings in his first five seasons in the pros, but an opportunity to find work somewhere else has opened up for the former Boise State Broncos star after getting released by Minnesota earlier this March.
Should the Raiders go after Alexander Mattison?
The Raiders, meanwhile, don't seem to have a clear RB1 option following Jacobs' move to the Green Bay Packers. Las Vegas has the likes of Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah under payroll, but the Raiders can certainly do better in shoring up their backfield. White did show some promise late in the 2023 NFL season though, and can be considered as the favorite to win Las Vegas' RB1 role for 2024 under the position's current landscape within the team.
In 2023, the Raiders had a mediocre offense that featured an anemic rushing attack despite the presence of Jacobs. They were just 23rd in scoring offense (19.5 points per game) and 30th in rushing yards (90.7 per outing).
Had Mattison impressed the Vikings enough in 2023 when he had increased usage in Minnesota's first season after releasing Dalvin Cook, he probably would have earned another contract with the NFC North franchise. Mattison struggled with efficiency on the ground in what turned out to be his final season with Minnesota, as he averaged just 3.9 yards per carry for 700 receiving yards and zero touchdowns on 180 rushing attempts.
The Raiders, as implied by Schultz, would have several competitions for the services of Mattison if they are indeed serious about signing the 25-year-old tailback. Over at Spotrac, Mattison has a market value of $3.299 million for a year.
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