Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah explains puzzling RB roster moves

When the Minnesota Vikings set their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday, one of the biggest takeaways was that they kept just three running backs with one of them being fullback C.J. Ham.

It was an interesting move for the Vikings but it sent a signal that there was more to the story. No NFL team is going to have just two tailbacks and a fullback on the roster.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spoke to the media on Thursday after the rosters were set and he cleared the air on what was going on at running back.

"Yeah, right now, Myles Gaskin, really, really excited about what he did this training camp came back in incredible shape. Kevin and I have the glass windows where we can kind of lookout on the field, and you see a guy after game day doing all kinds of drills just deciding for himself, I want to be the best version of myself for this team. Had a great camp, won the job, and then we're excited to what he's bringing."

Adofo-Mensah was also asked about why they chose to move on from Kene Nwangwu who had a good preseason.

"Yeah, it was more about Myles. Kene has been a good player for this organization since he was drafted, great person. I just want to make it more about Myles. Myles just has a really diverse skill set to help us on special teams and offense. Kene (is a) really talented player who can return this league at a high level for a long period of time. We just thought that for roster value. We thought that Myles, just a better decision."

Not rostering Gaskin isn't due to the Vikings not liking him but rather because of how contracts work for vested veterans. If they are on the roster for week one, their contracts become fully guaranteed. If they are signed after week one, they aren't. It feels like the Vikings are trying to use this as a procedural move, which is the smart way to go.

Smart roster building decisions by the Vikings.

Related: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's decision to roster 3 rookie defensive linemen could prove to be a brilliant move