Dan Orlovsky Pounds Table for Dalvin Cook to NFC Team
Two weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings released Dalvin Cook after months of speculation about his future with the franchise.
Cook was scheduled for a $14.1 million cap hit in 2023, and Minnesota preferred a more affordable alternative in Alexander Mattison.
Dan Orlovsky Pounds Table for Dalvin Cook to NFC Team
The Cook rumor mill has not been quiet whatsoever since the start of March, but earlier this week, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky pleaded with the Dallas Cowboys to add Cook in free agency.
Orlovsky, a pundit for ESPN, said on the network’s First Take program, “Dallas, don’t tell me you’re legit about wanting to do everything that you can do to go win a Super Bowl if you don’t sign Dalvin Cook.”
The Cowboys, like the Vikings, said goodbye to their bellcow RB1 this offseason, Ezekiel Elliott. And Elliott has received next to zero attention on the free-agent market.
Orlovsky added, “You’re starting tailback Tony Pollard broke his leg like five months ago. You want to run the football more with the guy that just broke his leg five months ago?”
Dallas also employs running backs Malik Davis and Ronald Jones, too, plus rookie Deuce Vaughn (yes, the guy from the heart-tugging draft video). Adding Cook would merely hedge the bet against Pollard’s injury recovery and probably split the 2023 carryload between Pollard and Cook equitably.
Cook has also hinted recently he’s in no rush to sign somewhere this summer, perhaps waiting to see what happens with franchise-tagged statuses of Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and the aforementioned Pollard. Their eventual agreements with teams could set a baseline for Cook’s asking price in July or August.
Meanwhile, some have claimed Cook and Pollard wouldn’t coexist well; both are would-be bellcow-style tailbacks. Two weeks ago, Fox Sports’ Cowboys reporter David Helman questioned the Cook fit in Dallas, “Cook has toted the rock 249 or more times in each of the last four seasons. He took 65% of the Vikings’ carries last year. And while he may not expect to get the same degree of touches, he’s still clearly capable of being a lead back. The Cowboys have that in Pollard, who is two years younger than Cook, has 772 fewer touches on his odometer and is expected to be fully healthy for training camp.”
“It is fair to wonder if there are enough snaps to go around for two Pro Bowl players, one of whom is already costing the team $10 million,” Helman opined.
The Cowboys rank seventh leaguewide in available cap space as of June 22nd with about $20.4 million. They certainly have the funds to welcome Cook. We shall see if they take Orlovsky’s message to heart or follow David Helman’s logic.
Cook ranks third in Vikings history in rushing yards behind Adrian Peterson and Robert Smith.
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Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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