Changes

For about three-and-a-half games Minnesota Vikings rookie running back Dalvin Cook was one of the most promising, young, offensive playmakers in the league. He was one of the reasons that Kareem Hunt hasn't already been handed the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Early in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions Cook's knee did what it shouldn't without being contacted by an opponent. He tore his ACL and is on the shelf for the remainder of the season. It's a very sad end to a brilliant rookie season just as it was getting started.

The Vikings offense of recent seasons was wildly inconsistent. They had some explosive moments but more often than not they didn't worry defenses too much. Cook's versatility and ability to get loose at any moment gave defenses a lot of worries. He could run, catch, and block so his presence on the field gave whoever was playing quarterback a lot of options and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur a lot of flexibility in his play-calling. It showed on the field. An inconsistent offense had become explosive. In the first three games of this season the offense gained nearly 500 yards in two of them. The Vikings offense ran through Cook. His season-ending injury changes that.

So where does the loss of Dalvin Cook leave the Vikings? Latavius Murray was signed during free agency. Before the Vikings lucked into Cook in the draft Murray was expected to be the team's top ball-carrier this season. He had some nice moments the last two seasons as the top back for the Oakland Raiders. He made the Pro Bowl in 2015 when he ran for 1,066 yards. He doesn't provide the explosive talent that Cook provides but he can be effective. Murray's a big back with very good speed. He can contribute in the passing game as a receiver and protect the quarterback as a blocker. Sometimes it looks like he moves side-to-side a little too much, juking rather than running. This running style got him to where he is so why change it now?

Murray isn't the only running back that the Vikings need to step forward. Jerick McKinnon will get an increased opportunity. He's smaller and quicker and a little more explosive. He's a nice change of pace. C.J. Ham was a running back before the Vikings moved him to fullback in the offseason. He may see a few more touches. Veteran Stevan Ridley was signed this week to take Cook's place on the roster. Ridley looked like he was headed to stardom when he ran for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2012 for the New England Patriots. A couple of knee injuries resulted in a career slide.. He's been more journeyman than productive runner in the years since. He's a bigger back at 5'11'' and 220 lbs. He's only 28 so maybe he still has some juice. The Vikings will field a committee of runners with Murray first up to lead it. They might not present the breakaway concerns to a defense that Cook did but they can all fit into the spread-like offense that Shurmur created with Cook in mind. They don't have to line up in the "I" and run downhill. They can line up next to a shotgun quarterback and move around the formation. They are a versatile group of runners so the Vikings offense can remain versatile. They just have to present enough of a "grind-it-out" running threat that defenses can't just forget about the run altogether. There will be a change. The Vikings running game might not he as explosive as it was in the first three weeks but it can be productive.