Throw Another Team into the Ring of Dalvin Cook Trade Partners
Josh Frey
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The discussion of potential Dalvin Cook trade suitors has been discussed almost to the point of exhaustion this offseason, but folks, here we are again. We have to talk about it one more time because a new wrinkle has been thrown into the mix.
You see, on Tuesday during his appearance on SKOR North’s podcast, “Mackey and Judd”, Darren Wolfson of KTSP gave out one more potential team to keep an eye on for the Vikings veteran running back: the New York Jets.
“A new team that I’ve heard is definitely interested is the New York Jets,” Wolfson said of New York. “You look at their running back position situation. Breece Hall we think will be back Week 1. The Jets have enormous expectations with Aaron Rodgers. Well, they could use an upgrade at the running back position.”
The onus for New York to add another running back could be amplified if there is any sort of update that Hall may not be ready to go right at the start of the season after tearing his ACL back in late October.
Prior to that ACL tear, Hall was arguably a front-runner for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, totaling 681 yards from scrimmage and 5 TDs over the course of just seven games. Unbelievably, he put up this production despite playing fewer than half of the Jets offensive snaps in three of those games.
Now, as Hall enters his second year, the vast spotlight of the NFL world is shining right on these Jets after their blockbuster trade earlier this offseason to acquire future Hall of Fame QB Aaron Rodgers.
Regardless of Hall’s health heading into the regular season, the best option for New York may be to try and find a running mate for the second-year back in order to preserve his health. Cook is about as qualified an option for this role as anyone, considering he’s totaled over 1000 yards in each of the past four seasons, and apparently, his shoulder surgery this offseason has him at 100% and ready to go for 2023.
Pairing Cook and Hall in New York’s backfield would certainly make for a nightmare scenario for opposing defenses. That being said, the Vikings will likely remain patient in their search for a potential suitor for their 28-year-old running back. Wolfson spoke on this as well.
“I still will be surprised, I guess, if the Vikings cut him here in June. If it’s like July 27, OK, I get it,” Wolfson explained. “But how does it benefit the Vikings to cut him right now? Why not exhaust all trade options until a trade is not in play?”
Minnesota does have plenty of time to find a suitor for Cook, and there is still the very real possibility that he remains a Viking in 2023. However, if the right deal comes around, expect Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to pounce on it.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.