The Minnesota Vikings moved on from running back Dalvin Cook a few days ago in a move that was widely expected. Cook is now 27 years old and at the stage of a running backs career where the chase for their services seemingly slows down. But he’ll still have suitors moving forward. Where are some potential landing spots, though?
The running back position has been devalued over the last few years. There’s no other way of putting it. Advanced metrics have reinforced the mindset that a running back’s powers come largely down to external factors – offensive line play, scheme, and play calling all spring to mind. The elite guys add a different wrinkle, but for the most part, you could drop a replacement-level running back into the mix and get similar production.
Plus, the general wear-and-tear at the running back position means their peak just doesn’t last as long as most positions in the NFL. Guys like Cook, Leonard Fournette, and Ezekiel Elliott are prime examples of that. All three players were cut by their respective teams this offseason. The latter two have been fairly quiet with regards to their next move, but Cook’s movement could draw heightened interest.
He’s posted four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons and played in 17 games for the first time. Sure, he might not be the dynamic runner he was earlier in his career, and advanced metrics might indicate that he’s over the hump, but in the right situation? There’s definitely still a role in the NFL for Cook.
Buffalo Bills
The immediate pull to the Bills for Cook would be the prospect of playing alongside his younger brother, and fellow running back, James Cook. The Bills drafted Cook in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. And while he didn’t live up to that draft position in year one, there’s every chance he becomes a bigger part of the offense in 2023. But there’s still room for another running back at Orchard Park.
The Bills signed Damien Harris to a one-year, $1.770 million deal in the offseason and that sort of money doesn’t suggest that Harris will be a bonafide feature back in the offense – but he’s a strong runner between the tackles in a gap scheme rushing attack. However, one year of Dalvin Cook might prove to be an upgrade over Harris.
It was clear to most that the Bills offense needed another injection of rushing ability in 2022. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs can’t carry the unit on their backs alone. Cook can be the early-down rusher for the Bills before his brother comes in on third down and shows his ability as a receiver. The drawback? Cook might not want to take carries away from his brother.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys cut Elliott early in the offseason after the former No. 4 pick had a hugely successful seven years with the team. He was a two-time rushing leader in his first three seasons and racked up 10,598 scrimmage yards and 80 touchdowns but found his impact waning over the last several seasons, with his yards per carry dropping below 4 yards for the first time in his career in 2022. Ultimately, the Cowboys felt hamstrung by the mega 6-year, $90 million deal they gave Elliott in 2019 and had no option but to cut him.
That leaves Tony Pollard as the fulcrum of the Cowboys’ rushing attack in 2023. He was electric in 2022, posting career-highs in yards and touchdowns while providing a home-run threat out of the backfield. Per PFF, only Breece Hall had better average yards after contact than Pollard last year.
What makes Pollard so special is his homerun ability, but it’s fair to assume that he might produce better numbers with a running mate rather than carrying the ball 17-18 times a game. Cook shouldn’t be viewed in the same archetype as Elliott – stylistically and physically, they’re very different backs – but if he could play a similar role as a change-of-pace back, wearing down the defense while allowing Pollard to benefit with that big-play ability, he might find a decent home in Dallas.
Denver Broncos
Consider Cook as an insurance policy for the Denver Broncos. Their leading back, Javonte Williams, went down early in 2022 with a torn ACL and MCL. Williams and the Broncos’ offense struggled as a whole, but based on talent alone, the former Tar Heel is one of the better backs in the NFL. The question is just whether or not he can get back to his best after a tough injury.
Williams was 10th in yards after contact per rush, per PFF, in 2021 and his 63 missed tackles forced was second behind Jonathan Taylor. That tells the tale of a shifty runner with great contact balance – the credentials needed to be among the game’s elite. He could get back there, but it would take time. And as we’ve seen before, athletes often need more than just a year to fully get back to their pre-injury self when dealing with an ACL related injury.
The reports are that Williams will be ready for training camp, but it’s still likely that they bring him along slowly in the first few weeks of the season. As it stands, that means Samaje Perine figures to feature pretty heavily. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Perine is solid in pass protection and showed last season with the Bengals that he can handle a larger workload, but as a runner, he pales in comparison to someone like Cook.
Bringing in Cook to help a struggling offense tick over could be a smart move. Sean Payton knows how to scheme for running backs and Cook wouldn’t be overworked in an offense that’s waiting for their man running back to find his feet. It isn’t hard to imagine Cook getting 10 or so touches per game before and after Williams’ impending return.
New York Jets
What was just said about the Broncos can largely be repeated here. The Jets drafted Breece Hall in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft and, boy, did he hit the ground running. Hall averaged 5.8 yards per carry and led the lead in yards after contact per rush, per PFF, prior to a torn ACL against the Broncos.
Hall’s recovery is coming along nicely and he’s expected to be ready for Week 1, but the Jets have been linked with Cook – even before his release from the Vikings, and the reasoning behind it could be the same as why he’d fit with the Broncos. Insurance.
Cook would be a veteran presence in a young Jets’ backfield and would provide some steady play while Hall gets back up to speed. Hall isn’t expected to see a heavy workload even once he’s back fully – new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett has a tendency to split the carries pretty evenly across the backfield – so there could be a sizable role for Cook for the entirety of the season.
Miami Dolphins
The third of our AFC East teams here, and the one that routinely gets linked to Cook – and for all of the right reasons. Cook is a hometown boy, born in Miami and going to college at Florida State. This would be his homecoming.
Roster-wise, the Dolphins might be in the market for a running back. They drafted Devon Achane in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, but his role projects more as a change-of-pace running back as opposed to someone who can handle the bulk of a workload. Beyond him, it’s Raheem Mostert who is slated to lead the backfield. Mostert has had success as a lead back in San Francisco and in Miami, but he’s now 31 years old and his impact might be lesser than in previous years.
Cook could be the short-term answer for the Dolphins at running back. He’d excel in Mike McDaniel’s wide-zone scheme early on – a scheme not dissimilar from Kevin O’Connell’s in Minnesota last season. If Cook is to land anywhere, the chances are it’s back in Miami.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.