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Stevan Ridley’s time with the Vikings was brief. Ridley was signed by Minnesota on Thursday, and on Monday, the team announced Michael Floyd has been added to the 53-man roster and Ridley has been released.
Floyd is returning from a four-game suspension for “extreme DUI.” Floyd had 446 yards and four touchdowns for the Cardinals last season before the team parted ways with him following his DUI arrest. He signed with the Patriots and played in two games for New England, racking up four catches for 42 yards and a touchdown.
Dalvin Cook ran for 354 yards and two touchdowns for the Vikings before his rookie season ended with a torn ACL. On Thursday, the Vikings signed veteran running back Stevan Ridley to round out the running back depth chart, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Ridley spent the preseason with the Broncos and had 38 carries for 109 yards and a touchdown. He played in just one game for the Falcons in 2016 and had three carries for 7 yards.
But Ridley showed a lot of promise before a torn ACL and MCL ended his 2014 season. He was selected by the Patriots in the third round of the 2011 draft, and he finished his second season with 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns. Ridley was productive in 2013, too, with 773 yards and seven touchdowns. Ridley landed with the Jets in 2015 and has bounced around the league ever since.
Latavius Murray signed with the Vikings as a free agent prior to the 2017 season, and he should be the Vikings’ primary back. Murray said this week that he still isn’t 100 percent recovered from offseason ankle surgery, according to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
The Vikings also have Jerick McKinnon on the roster, but McKinnon is more of a change-of-pace back. But Minnesota must be comfortable with its depth at the running back position, because they’re moving forward without Ridley.