Dalvin Cook
Earlier this season, the Minnesota Vikings saw their running back Dalvin Cook suffer an apparent shoulder injury. He has dealt with it before, and he played through the pain while utilizing a shoulder stabilizer. Now, he has gone under the knife.
On Tuesday, Adam Schefter reported that Dalvin Cook underwent shoulder surgery to fix things stemming from his 2019 injury. That is notable as any time a procedure happens, there will be a healing period, but for Cook, it could clear the way for new adventures.
This offseason represents a good opportunity for Minnesota to part ways with their running back. It was clear this season that he had lost a step, and despite being among the most dynamic backs in the league, he is not getting any younger. There was thought that Kevin O’Connell’s offense would incorporate him more in the passing game, but that really didn’t come to fruition.
Of note, Cook’s greatest accomplishment this season may be that he played all 17 games. He has rarely been able to get into the action every week throughout his career, but even with the shoulder injury, he didn’t miss time. That is notable for any team looking to acquire him, and it’s something of a selling point with medicals now being cleared up.
Cook’s current contract would carry more than a $14 million cap hit to Minnesota in 2023. Moving on from him would leave just over $6 million in dead cap space. The Vikings certainly aren’t going to get a first-round pick for his services, but something in the middle rounds could potentially be had, which may be enough to entice them.
There was reason to believe that some of the longstanding Vikings favorites played their last game in purple when facing the New York Giants. Eric Kendricks and Harrison Smith were probably the biggest names on defense (although it sounds like Smith will be back next year), while Cook and Adam Thielen highlighted the names on offense.
Minnesota drafted Cook in the 2nd round out of Florida State. He has been among the most productive backs in football when on the field, and his consistency cannot be taken for granted. Cook has truly done it all in a league with so few bellcow backs and not many that can contribute on the ground and through the air. If this is it for him in Minnesota, it will be different to see him in a new uniform.
Cook should be good to go by training camp, and whether that takes place in Minnesota or elsewhere, monitoring the progress from his shoulder surgery is something that any employer will certainly be checking in on.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.