Brand New Team Enters Dalvin Cook Rumor Mill
The Minnesota Vikings released Dalvin Cook about a month ago, dropping the four-time Pro Bowler into free agency for the first time in his life.
Before Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets were the most frequently mentioned teams linked to Cook in free agency.
Brand New Team Enters Dalvin Cook Rumor Mill
But the plot thickened a wee bit on the day after the Fourth of July as the New England Patriots are allegedly interested in the 27-year-old.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on SportsCenter this week about Cook and New England, “My sense from asking around is the Patriots are at least intrigued.”
Cook vamoosed the Vikings as the franchise’s third-leading rusher in franchise history (5,993 yards) behind Adrian Peterson (11,747) and Robert Smith (6,818). His 47 rushing touchdowns rank fourth behind Peterson (97), Chuck Foreman (52), and Bill Brown (52). And his rushing yards per game (82.1) are second, only trailing Peterson (95.5).
“They have a bit of a need at running back. They want a back they can pair with Rhamondre Stevenson. Bill Belichick does sense the urgency to improve that offense,” Fowler added.
The Patriots finished 8-9 last season and haven’t won a playoff game since Tom Brady’s departure in 2020.
Adding Cook actually checks out for New England, holstering around $15 million in cap space as of July 5th and an otherwise underwhelming group of offensive weapons. After Mac Jones at quarterback — who looked great against the Vikings on Thanksgiving night last year — New England employs wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, and Kendrick Bourne, plus tight ends Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki. The RB group looks like this:
- Rhamondre Stevenson
- Ty Montgomery
- Pierre Strong
- Kevin Harris
- J.J. Taylor
New England has also remained a frontrunner in the free agent sweepstakes for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins who was released by the Arizona Cardinals a couple of weeks before Cook. In fact, Cook recently said about the prospect of playing alongside Hopkins, “If we end up on the same roster, that would be something epic for the NFL.”
“The money is going to come, and that’s going to happen. But like as far as going to lift that Super Bowl trophy up, he (Hopkins) has the same mindset as me,” Cook mentioned last month.
The Patriots ranked 21st leaguewide in rushing DVOA. last year. Cook is expected to decide on his next team later this month and could wait until after training camp.
Former Vikings offensive tackle Riley Reiff also plays for New England.
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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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