A lot can be said for confidence and Minnesota Vikings’ running back Jerick McKinnon isn’t short on it.
The Vikings had a very productive offseason in terms of their backfield, despite the loss of future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson.
The Vikes added on Latavius Murray from the Oakland Raiders and drafted running back Dalvin Cook.
Some would say that Minnesota’s backfield is pretty much secure with Murray and Cook being the primary players, but don’t tell McKinnon that.
“Don’t count me out,” McKinnon said via the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
“That’s always my goal (to start). I’m competitive. I think it will be a good way to evaluate myself and see where I stack up against them.”
McKinnon has been training hard all offseason and has added more than 10 pounds of muscle.
He’ll have to do more than what he has given Minnesota in 2016 if he wants to cut into the snaps Murray and Cook will be getting. McKinnon’s 3.4 yards per carry average needs to improve.
McKinnon seems focused on being a better player and a more important part of the Minnesota backfield in 2017 and he is hoping that his work with personal trainers James Cooper will help him do just that.
“I can’t get into specifics, because a fighter can’t tell his game plan for the world to know it or else it wouldn’t be a good game plan,” Cooper said when asked about what McKinnon has been doing in training.
The 25-year old running back may still get his shot and it seems as though when he does is ready to turn some heads.