Dalvin Cook Has a Free Agency Offer
Josh Frey
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Back in early June, the Minnesota Vikings made the decision to release four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook from their team. This came to the surprise of few, considering they had also re-signed Alexander Mattison and drafted another running back in DeWayne McBride this spring. The main reason behind this release seemed to be based on finances and the fact that there just seemed to be a canyon between what the Vikings were willing to pay Cook and his $14.1 million cap hit that he was set to carry this season.
As a result of the release, one of the big topics this summer across NFL media has been where the running back could end up playing during the 2023 season. He is certainly still one of the most talented players at the position, and he can bolster just about any NFL roster (even the Vikings, who just let him go).
Well, it appears that Cook officially has his first free agency offer. That offer comes from one of the teams he has long been connected to, going to back to the earliest portion of the offseason: the Miami Dolphins.
The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweeted Tuesday, “Per source with direct knowledge, Dolphins have indeed made an offer for Cook. (And no, I don’t know what it is.) There’s mutual interest; Cook has called Miami a ‘perfect fit.’ Cook is in no rush to sign; he has time to wait for a dollar amount he’s comfortable with.”
From the standpoint of your humble author, who has absolutely no inside knowledge on the topic, this is a bit surprising. The Dolphins have been a cool story for Cook considering it would mean he goes back to his hometown area, but it just hasn’t felt like a feasible landing spot. This is a topic I wrote about just after the draft concluded.
For one, Miami has a ton of help at the running back position already. They brought back Raheem Mostert and Myles Gaskin this offseason, traded to acquire Jeff Wilson last year, and they used a third-round pick on Devon Achane in this spring’s draft.
That’s a lot of players that Miami seems to have faith in at the position. Keep in mind too, they have arguably the best wide receiver duo in the league with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. This is a ton of mouths to feed, so should a bell cow back really be at the top of their list of priorities?
Additionally, Cook’s desire to make a large amount of money is a big reason why he is no longer with the Vikings. The Miami Dolphins are in a fine salary cap spot, but they certainly cannot offer Cook the most money with just $13.9 million in cap space as July approaches.
Perhaps, though, Miami would get a “hometown discount” from Cook considering it would be a chance to play near the area where he grew up while also being on one of the favorites to compete for a Super Bowl. Regardless, Cook has at least one official offer in free agency, meaning we are one step closer to his offseason saga coming to an end.
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.