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Vikings sign veteran running back Stevan Ridley

Ridley's best year with the Patriots came in 2012, when he ran for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns on 290 carries. He was cut by Denver at training camp.

October 5, 2017 at 2:09PM
New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley (22) celebrates his touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, in Foxborough, Mass. At left is Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.
New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley (22) celebrates his touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, in Foxborough, Mass. At left is Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. (Associated Press - Ap/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Denver Broncos running back Stevan Ridley (4) scores a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
(Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Denver Broncos running back Stevan Ridley (4) scores a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

The Vikings, who placed running back Dalvin Cook on injured reserve this morning, have a new back they hope will help fill the void in their running game left by Cook's absence.

The team signed running back Stevan Ridley, who spent the first four years of his career with the Patriots before playing with the Jets in 2015 and appearing in one game with the Falcons last year. Ridley spent training camp with the Broncos before being released in final roster cuts.

His best year with the Patriots came in 2012, when he ran for 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns on 290 carries. Ridley gained 773 yards on 178 carries in 2013, scoring seven touchdowns. He fumbled four times in both seasons.

The Vikings had shown some interest in Ridley during free agency in 2015, and worked him out among a group of running backs on Tuesday. Now, he'll join a backfield that includes Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon, as the Vikings hope the 28-year-old can join a group to help them replace Cook's impact on their offense.

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about the writer

about the writer

Ben Goessling

Sports reporter

Ben Goessling has covered the Vikings since 2012, first at the Pioneer Press and ESPN before becoming the Minnesota Star Tribune's lead Vikings reporter in 2017. He was named one of the top NFL beat writers by the Pro Football Writers of America in 2024, after honors in the AP Sports Editors and National Headliner Awards contests in 2023.

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