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- Mar 19, 2019
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Coller: RB Mike Boone a ‘wild card’ for Vikings offense
The Vikings roster heading into next week’s minicamp has a full running backs room with seven, including two fullbacks.
SKOR North’s Matthew Coller took a look at one specific player in the position group: Mike Boone, who joined the Vikings last spring as a rookie free agent. Coller called Boone a “wild card” in Minnesota’s offense and wrote the following:
With veteran Latavius Murray exiting in free agency, the Vikings only experienced running back behind Dalvin Cook is Ameer Abdullah, who is likely to be the team’s kick returner. The Vikings used a third-round draft pick on a bigger, more powerful runner in Alexander Mattison. They left the door open for Boone to win a gig as Cook’s replacement in case of injury and as a versatile offensive weapon.
Coller quoted Boone, who said Tuesday that he’s developed a better grasp of the game mentally.
“Learning concepts and structures of defense,” Boone said. “Coming out of college they touch on that stuff but not as much [as] here. [Vikings running backs coach Kennedy Polamalu] is a great coach; he does a great job of understanding patterns, and that helps us play faster. I feel like I’m great in that area.”
Early in Boone’s college career he showed a high level of potential, averaging 6.4 and 7.2 yards per attempt in 2014 and 2015, respectively, but his production dipped over his final two seasons and teams passed over him despite his raw physical gifts. He said the Gary Kubiak outside zone running scheme is a fit for his talents.
“We trickled it in a little bit with college; we were mainly in between the tackles in my years,” Boone said. “I feel like I have a good amount of speed and athleticism, [and] everybody in the running back room feels the same way about themselves. Outside zone allows us to get free and run a little bit; it feels good.”