Source says Alexander Mattison of the Vikings has been informed he will be cut

Alexander Mattison's time with the Minnesota Vikings came to an abrupt and costly end on Thursday, when the team indicated its plans to release him after five seasons on its roster, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday.

The decision capped a disappointing year for Mattison and the Vikings. Both sides seemed eager to move on after a season in which Mattison failed to hold down the starting job following the departure of long-time linebacker Dalvin Cook.

A third-round pick by the Vikings in 2019, Mattison spent four seasons as Cook's backup before signing a two-year contract worth up to $7 million last March. The Vikings released Cook later that spring and upgraded Mattison, hoping he could provide a strong interior run even if he couldn't match Cook's explosiveness.

Mattison started 13 games but managed only 700 receiving yards. None of his 180 carries went longer than 21 yards, and while he had three touchdowns, he didn't score on the ground. The Vikings acquired veteran Cam Akers from the Los Angeles Rams after two games and were increasing his workload on a weekly basis before he tore his Achilles tendon on November 5. Ultimately, sophomore runner Ty Chandler replaced Mattison in the team's starting lineup. The final four games of the regular season.

Speaking earlier this week about the team's backfield, coach Kevin O'Connell mentioned Chandler prominently but said Mattison contributed in ways that can't be captured in statistics. However, the Vikings will likely seek additional depth at the free agency position and perhaps the draft as well.

“I think the way Ty finished the season was really positive, and going from year two to year three, there's going to be a huge opportunity for him to continue to grow. I think Alex has done some good things in our career,” O'Connell said. System, I ran hard, I ran physical. As you go through the process of evaluating pieces after the season, you can really gauge the things that worked well, the things that didn't work, the things that need to be improved, and the things that I can do better as a coach.

“But then you see some individual performances that maybe don't always jump up on the stat sheet, but they were crucial plays here and there, and then we have some young players in the room as well. So it's always a situation that I think, whether it's free agency or the draft, is that you Looking to continue to instill different talents and skill sets in that room. But I feel good about what these guys can do and, more importantly, what we can build and from there, specifically with Ty at the end of the season, I thought seeing him really come in and start asserting himself was A real positive for our team.