After running the ball more than all but three teams in the league last year — and gaining more yards on the ground than all but five — the Vikings brought back the final outstanding piece of their 2019 backfield on Friday.
They announced they have signed running back Ameer Abdullah, who carried 23 times for 115 yards and caught 15 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown last year. The former Lions running back, who played behind Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, also was the Vikings' top kick return man, averaging 25 yards on 13 returns.
His new deal follows the team's decision to give fullback C.J. Ham a four-year deal last week, and came on the same day the Vikings officially announced they'll bring offensive lineman Brett Jones back on a new deal. Jones' new deal is worth the league minimum of $910,000 for the upcoming season, a league source said on Thursday.
The Vikings also brought back guard Dakota Dozier, who played all 16 games last year and started four in place of either Josh Kline or Pat Elflein. Dozier's one-year deal is worth roughly $1 million for the 2020 season, according to an NFL source.
Star Tribune photo by Elizabeth Flores
