The Minnesota Vikings have a decision to make on a running back. He’s turned in some of the most exciting plays in recent memory and is an important part of the Vikings’ success. He has the ability to take any play to the house and always seems capable of expanding his game.
You may think I’m talking about Dalvin Cook, but I’m talking about a different Vikings running back.
Kene Nwangwu has been Minnesota’s primary kick returner over the past couple of years, but his roster spot may be in jeopardy. With the NFL’s new rule on kickoffs and a plethora of running backs on the roster, Nwangwu may have to show his ability in other areas or risk finding himself on the wrong side of the roster bubble.
Nwangwu’s career has been an interesting story so far. Some were surprised when the Vikings selected him in the fourth round of the 2021 draft mainly because he wasn’t used outside of a reserve role at Iowa State.
Playing behind future NFL running backs Breece Hall and David Montgomery, Nwangwu logged only 143 carries and 57 receptions during his four years at Iowa State. However, he carved out a niche as a kick returner, averaging a school-record 26.8 yards per return.
Not one to shy away from taking a specialist in the middle rounds of the draft, Rick Spielman pounced at the opportunity. However, Nwangwu was the rare special teams pick who panned out for Trader Rick. He averaged 32.2 yards per kick return during his rookie year – the fourth-highest single-season mark in Vikings history among players with a minimum of 10 returns.
Nwangwu’s rookie year performance, which also included two kick returns for a touchdown, earned him a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Although his average dipped to 26.3 yards per return last season, Nwangwu was still named a second-team All-Pro.
But just like anything in Nwangwu’s career, his future is anything but conventional. The NFL recently passed a new kick return rule that allows returners to call for a fair catch inside the 25-yard line. If the returner opts to call for a fair catch, the receiving team will take over possession at their own 25-yard line.
It should be noted that this rule has been instituted in college football since 2018, and it didn’t stop Nwangwu from being an impact returner at Iowa State. But the rule could have an immediate impact for head coaches who prefer a guaranteed drive at the 25-yard line compared to a kick return near the goal line that could wind up only getting to the 20-yard line.
The new rule could create two classes of kick returners in the NFL. Either players become the next Cordarrelle Patterson or Devin Hester, or they become a replaceable fair-catch machine.
The Green Bay Packers have experienced this dilemma with Keisean Nixon, whose nine-game performance from last year earned him first-team All-Pro honors. Nixon stated the new rule is “irrelevant.” However, it may quickly become relevant when his special teams coach is threatening to tear up his contract because his offense is starting most drives inside the 25-yard line.
So what is a team to do? Find out what else he can do.
The buzz in Dairyland suggests the Packers are keen on using Nixon as a slot corner. He has some experience in the role, allowing 1.38 yards per coverage snap last season. However, OTAs have suggested another level. He’s reportedly run step-for-step with Christian Watson and has been speeding into the backfield to break up passes in the flat.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur has even hinted at getting Nixon touches, which calls back to the days when the Chicago Bears tried to turn Hester into a receiver.
Like his kick-returning predecessors, Nwangwu has a skill set that indicates he can produce in other areas. His 4.32-second time in the 40-yard dash ranks in the 98th percentile of running backs according to MockDraftable. With teams adopting an era of “positionless football” it’s not crazy to think Nwangwu could become an offensive weapon.
That didn’t happen in his early years because Mike Zimmer had a “one size fits all” philosophy on running backs, ramming them between the tackles in the same way he used Cook. There was some hope that Kevin O’Connell could utilize Nwangwu’s game-breaking speed, but he only logged 11 touches on offense last season as Cook carried the load.
This offseason seems to have a different feel, though. Nwangwu is taking second-team reps along with Ty Chandler and taking reps at receiver. But earning a job as a running back is more than just big plays – just ask Cook. O’Connell wants complete backs, which is something he stated during a press conference last week.
“Can they impact us not only in the [running] game but in the [passing] game?” O’Connell thought aloud. “To me, it’s about their ability to win when they’re running routes, but you got to…be willing to step in there and block a little bit in pass [protection]. It’s not something we can get full-time, real reps of without pads on right now, but you can certainly be working on your technique and fundamentals.”
This creates an important summer for Nwangwu. With Alexander Mattison showing three-down capabilities and DeWayne McBride waiting in the wings after a hamstring injury, Nwangwu’s roster spot could come down between Chandler and him. Chandler already flashed some ability in the backfield last preseason, something that we have yet to see from Nwangwu at any point during his career.
If Nwangwu can’t stand out, he could be on the chopping block, creating a sudden end for one of Minnesota’s most dynamic players.
