Over the past two seasons, the Minnesota Vikings have struggled with one of the league’s weakest rushing attacks. In 2022, they ranked 27th in the NFL with 1,661 rushing yards, and in 2023, they dropped further, finishing 29th with just 1,553 rushing yards. To help revive the Viking’s running game, they signed former Packer Aaron Jones this offseason. Although Jones brings immediate success to the Vikings backfield, they have a few other running backs that need to prove themselves. One such player is fourth-year running back Kene Nwangwu. Although Nwangwu has proven to be a dangerous kick returner, he has only 88 rushing yards in three NFL seasons. That leaves Nwangwu with much to prove as a running back in his fourth year.
Can Kene Nwangwu Make an Impact Beyond Returning Kicks?
1. Nwangwu as a Rusher
The Vikings kicked off their 2024 preseason on Saturday against the Las Vegas Raiders. In that game, Kene Nwangwu had five carries for 52 yards and one touchdown. His best run of the day was a 48-yard touchdown run where he made one cut and was gone.
HOUSE CALL!
Kene Nwangwu goes 48 yards for the @Vikings TD!
📺: #LVvsMIN on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4rloO6OlLM— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
While Nwangwu’s touchdown run was electrifying, he was inefficient on his other four carries, averaging just one yard per carry. It’s important to note that Nwangwu was running against most of the Raiders’ starting defense while working with a backup offensive line.
However, even when playing behind a starting offensive line, Nwangwu has struggled with inefficiency. In Nwangwu’s past two seasons, he averaged just 1.6 yards per attempt in 2022 and 2.6 yards per attempt in 2023. These averages just don’t cut it as an NFL running back, and it doesn’t look like Nwangwu is going to get better.
2. Pass Protection
While a running back’s primary role is to run the football, being adequate in pass protection is also critical. This is especially true for the Vikings’ offense, which has been a pass-heavy team, throwing the ball over 60% of the time in the past two seasons. Unfortunately, Nwangwu struggled significantly with pass protection against the Raiders, getting blown straight back into the quarterback on three different occasions, one of which resulted in an interception.
Vegas INT!
Jack Jones comes down with the ball for the @Raiders.📺: #LVvsMIN on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/RdAB97uwHZ— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
Although J.J. McCarthy was able to avoid the rush given up by Nwangwu, it still sped up his internal clock, which helped cause the turnover. Luckily, the interception ended up being the only major consequence of Nwangwu’s poor pass-blocking. However, Nwangwu’spoor pass blocking can also cause quarterbacks McCarthy and Sam Darnold to take unnecessary hits and sacks. Enduring that during the regular season will set drives back and make both quarterbacks take more wear and tear than is needed.
Verdict: Unlikely
Despite being just one week into the 2024 preseason, Nwangwu hasn’t given much reason to believe he can make an offensive impact this season. His struggles in pass protection and lack of efficiency on the ground remain a major concern. While Nwangwu currently holds the third spot on the depth chart with little competition behind him, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Vikings wait until the final cut day to see if a veteran running back becomes available to add depth. If that happens, Nwangwu could be on the chopping block. Should Nwangwu make the roster, his primary role is likely to remain as a kick returner.
Main Photo: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
