One after another, free agent players appear to be setting their new goals and hopes focusing on the upcoming season signing fresh deals with new teams, or revisiting/maintaining the existing ones. In the meantime, former Vikings player Dalvin Cook is encountering a tough time inking his new deal as well as a legal misdemeanor.
After being cut by the Minnesota Vikings, the veteran player is still exploring the free agency market. Reportedly six NFL teams have come forward to solidify their roster with the receiver.
Patriots, Jets, and Dolphins head six clubs interested in signing RB Dalvin Cook
Throughout his whole NFL career, Dalvin has built a dazzling and enduring reputation. He has the second-most running yards (5,024), second-most rushing touchdowns (43), and second-most rushing first downs (258), per the CBS Sports report, since 2019.
With his magnificent statistics, he has enjoyed his name among the league’s most productive backs. Hence, his release from the Vikings paved the way for many receiver-needy teams to adorn their upcoming roster with him.
NFL insider Dov Kleiman reported that already six teams are rushing to add Cook. Among them, the Jets, Patriots, and Dolphins are seemingly strong on the table,
“The #Patriots, #Jets and #Dolphins are the front-running teams to sign RB Dalvin Cook among 6 interested teams sources tell FOX’s @henrycmckenna.”
𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: The #Patriots, #Jets and #Dolphins are the front-running teams to sign RB Dalvin Cook among 6 interested teams, sources tell FOX's @henrycmckenna pic.twitter.com/0zeTEB84QN
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) July 21, 2023
The Patriots allegedly don’t want to miss the chance to sign Cook because they missed DeAndre Hopkins. According to reports, Bill Belichick is looking to the former Vikings to lend Mac Jones a powerful helping hand.
Both on offense and defense, the New York Jets club is already in a strong position. Cook can appear with them because the squad still seems to be rushing to bolster its membership.
After entering free agency, the four-time Pro Bowler apparently got an offer from the Dolphins, but Cook was unwilling to take the deal from his hometown team because it was inadequate for his position and not commensurate with his reputation. However, Miami continues to be listed as a potential destination on the front page.
Dalvin Cook’s current Vikings contract details
The Vikings drafted Cook in the 2017 NFL draft. Since then he remains a big weapon for the team for six seasons recording 1282 carries for 5993 yards, 221 catches for 1794 yards, and scoring 52 touchdowns.
In 2020, the ex-Vikings players agreed to a five-year, $63 million contract. His average yearly pay of $12.6 million made it fully guaranteed, and the contract also included a $15.5 million signing bonus. He had a $14.1 million salary cap hit this season, $15.6 million in 2024, and $13.5 million in the last year of his contract, 2025 due to the agreement.
In June of this year, the Pro Bowler had to leave the team not for his lack of production but for the team’s not having any leverage to satisfy his play. The player has only played one full season and his aging factor also likely played a dominant role in his release.
Dalvin has qualified for the Pro Bowl each of the previous four seasons, but the Vikings probably need to confront the difficulty of letting him go in order to further their own interests. The Vikings paid relatively inexperienced receiver Mattison $6.35 million over the following two seasons before dismissing him.
Cook is the only NFL player to rush for 1,110-plus yards in each of the last four years which likely prompted the six teams to have a stronger look at their receiver room with the Vikings veteran.
