Purple Headlines of the Week: Dalvin Cook Released, Final Rookie Domino Falls, Danielle Hunter Trade?
Despite this being the first official week of June, a month that is notoriously quiet in the NFL calendar, the Minnesota Vikings had a very busy few days to get the month started. Here are all the purple headlines to get you caught up on the past week of news.
Dalvin Cook’s Time in Minnesota Ends
We officially have seen an end to the Dalvin Cook saga this offseason. After rumors of trades or the 28-year-old running back potentially returning to Minnesota, news broke this week that the Vikings are releasing the veteran RB.
This move is a bit surprising, but they now save $9 million against the cap in 2023 along with additional savings in 2024 and 2025. It also opens the door to Alexander Mattison being the official RB1 in Minnesota’s backfield while Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, and DeWayne McBride duke it out for the RB2 spot.
DeWayne McBride Officially Signs Contract
The final domino of the Vikings rookie class has officially fallen as Minnesota signed seventh-round pick DeWayne McBride to a contract on Tuesday. This means that all six of the Vikings draft selections from this spring are now under contract heading into the summer.
McBride was selected with the 222nd pick in this spring’s draft after a three-year collegiate career with UAB where he was one of the most productive running backs in all of college football. He totaled over 3000 rushing yards and 32 rushing TDs over the past two seasons, and over his career, he averaged a ridiculous 7.3 yards per carry.
Danielle Hunter Trade Rumors Begin
According to Ian Rapoport, Dalvin Cook isn’t the only player in the Vikings franchise that has been garnering interest from other teams. Apparently, the Vikings have been fielding calls regarding pass-rusher Danielle Hunter as well.
Hunter is entering the final year of his contract in 2023, and if the two sides are unable to agree on an extension in the next couple months, it may make sense to try and maximize the return value of the three-time Pro Bowler.
In Case You Missed It…
For the extra-studious Vikings fans, we also have our usual list of additional headlines that you may have missed over the past week. Happy reading!
- Ex-Vikings Head Coach Wants Back in the Game
- Bills Sign Cameron Dantzler
- ESPN Has Red Flags for the 2023 Vikings
- Ben Ellefson Remains with Vikings in “Hybrid” Coaching Role
- X-Factors for Each NFC North Defense in 2023
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.