Murray (ankle) acknowledged that Dalvin Cook got a head start by participating in the Vikings' offseason program, but the 27-year-old still believes he will beat out the rookie for the Week 1 starting job, NFL.com's Kevin Patra reports.
Murray signed a three-year, $15 million contract in March and underwent surgery to address bone spurs shortly thereafter. He's expected back for the start of training camp, but that didn't stop Minnesota from trading up to No. 41 overall to draft Cook, who subsequently split work with Jerick McKinnon in OTAs. Coach Mike Zimmer said the team will have an open competition in the backfield, but it would be a major surprise if McKinnon is a serious candidate for the lead job after he produced 3.4 yards per carry last season. Murray averaged only 4.0 yards per carry and 5.2 yards per target as the lead back in Oakland the past two seasons, but he did convert 13 of his 24 carries inside the 5-yard line into touchdowns while also earning a reputation as a strong pass blocker. Cook has far more potential as a pure runner, but the Vikings should still find a use for the 230-pound Murray in what's shaping up as a likely committee.