Minnesota Vikings add RB Stevan Ridley after Dalvin Cook injury
After Dalvin Cook suffered a season-ending ACL injury, the Minnesota Vikings brought in veteran Stevan Ridley for reinforcements…
The Minnesota Vikings’ offense has been much better than expected this season given they have been without Sam Bradford for a few weeks now, and the success of their offense has been due large in part to the contributions of rookie running back Dalvin Cook.
Cook went down this past week with an ACL injury, and the Vikings were only able to score seven points against the Detroit Lions, who have a tough enough defense to go up against, much less without one of your top playmakers.
After Cook’s injury, the Vikings were left with Latavius Murray, Jerick McKinnon, and C.J. Ham on the roster to run the football. With their depth clearly being tested, the Vikings went out and signed veteran Stevan Ridley, most recently of the Denver Broncos.
Former Patriots’ and Broncos’ RB Stevan Ridley is signing with the Minnesota Vikings, per source. More RB reinforcements.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 5, 2017
Ridley signed on with the Denver Broncos during training camp when Devontae Booker suffered a wrist injury that kept him out or a couple of months. Ridley was expected to come in and just provide an additional camp body, but he actually performed quite well for the Broncos.
More from NFL Mocks
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft Journal: Cardinals, Falcons tank for USC QB Caleb Williams
- Patriots News & Rumors: Ezekiel Elliott talks fun in Foxboro; Mills to Packers?
- Fantasy Football: 5 reasons Colts QB Anthony Richardson can be a top-end option
- Packers’ Lukas Van Ness will make a Lambeau leap into the NFL in 2023
- 2024 NFL Draft: Hunter Haas’ Top 50 Big Board
Running hard every time he touched the ball, Ridley actually ended up taking some first-team reps with the Broncos during his time with the team, including some in a preseason game. The team’s depth at running back was such that Ridley — the last one to join the group — was the odd man out.
Somewhat surprisingly, he wasn’t picked up right away, despite how well he’d played with the Broncos after being signed almost out of nowhere.
Ridley is a former 1,000 yard running back in the NFL, and has played in some huge games. That should be a solid addition for the Vikings, who need more out of the guys they already have behind Cook in Murray and McKinnon.
Ridley may not be the savior of the Vikings’ season offensively, but he’s a solid veteran pickup at this point.