Alexander Mattison was preparing to be on a new team when his rookie contract expired at the end of last season before signing a deal to remain with the Minnesota Vikings in March.
Appearing on SiriusXM NFL Radio (h/t NFL.com's Michael Baca), Mattison explained he "actually didn't think" he would be back with the Vikings.
"There wasn't much anticipation," he said about the possibility of re-signing.
Dalvin Cook's future in Minnesota was a source of speculation throughout the entire offseason. It was a near-certainty he wouldn't play for the team in 2023 on the contract that had an $11 million cap hit.