Minnesota Vikings: It’s Time To Give AJ Rose Some Shine
The Minnesota Vikings are hurting at running back. With the injury to Dalvin Cook, the Vikings are looking for the next man to step up. While all fingers are pointing at Alexander Mattison and Kene Nwangwa, the player no one is mentioning is Practice Team and Preseason stud, AJ Rose.
While the Vikings have every right to look at free agents as they’ve done this week with Kerryon Johnson, calling up Rose will be in their best interest.
Rose, a rookie out of Kentucky, was not drafted but made his presence felt in the preseason for the Vikings when he rushed for 151 yards on 37 carries with 2 touchdowns. Many figured he would make the active 53-man roster but he was sent to the practice squad instead.
With Cook healthy, there was no need to call Rose up. However, the situation has changed, at least for the next 2 weeks. Now is the time for the rookie to get some playing time and many believe he will excel.
On the season, the Vikings have relied on Cook who rushed for 773 yards on 171 attempts in 9 games. He’s been the workhorse. But now, the Vikings’ offense will need to keep the balance, and Mattison alone is not the answer. Neither of the Vikings’ backs has shown the ability to carry the load Cook has.
What Rose did in the preseason, was show his speed and ability to hit any gap with power. His running style is almost a mirror image to Cook’s. He has also shown the ability to block in the passing game as well.
Adding another pro to the lineup is a smart move but for a team still fighting for position in the playoffs, why not call up a back who has practiced with the team from the start and knows all the plays? This is where Rose has an advantage over Johnson.
AJ Rose fell through the cracks at the NFL Draft. The Minnesota Vikings knew they found a gem, now it’s time to show off that gem.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
