Dalvin Cook Will Miss The Rams Games Due To Covid-19

K. Joudry |

Dec 23, 2021

Nov 7, 2021; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; General view as Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) hands the ball to running back Dalvin Cook (33) in the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Upsetting the Rams was going to be a challenge with an offense at full health. The team will now need to pull off the upset without their main running threat. Dalvin Cook has been placed on the Covid-19 list. Since he’s unvaccinated, he won’t be available for the Sunday game.

#Vikings roster moves

RB Dalvin Cook placed on Reserve/COVID-19.

CB Tye Smith placed on Reserve Practice Squad/COVID-19.

WR Dan Chisena activated from Reserve/COVID-19.

G Kyle Hinton activated from Practice Squad Reserve/COVID-19.

RB A.J. Rose signed to the practice squad.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 23, 2021

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Obviously, this is discouraging news. The hope is that Dalvin Cook gets and stays healthy. At 7-7, Minnesota is scraping and clawing to get into the playoffs. Thankfully, Alexander Mattison is back.

As I wrote earlier, the Rams will be able to put the Vikings in a difficult position, largely because of Aaron Donald’s presence in the middle. The hope is that Klint Kubiak can concoct a brilliant game plan this week, thereby keeping the Rams’ defense on its heels as it struggles to predict what the Vikings will do next.

The approach from the offense will almost certainly need to change. Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson will be even more important now than before. It’s also possible that the team turns to more eleven personnel. Indeed, Cook’s absence might mean more work for KJ Osborn, the sophomore WR3.

Klint Kubiak: “Big challenge not having Dalvin on Sunday. I know he won’t be available, but we’ve been through this already. We got to go with the guys we’ve got.”
— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) December 23, 2021

Last week, Cook touched the ball 30 times. The week before, Cook touched the ball 28 times. So much of the focus has been on the elite RB’s ability to keep the Vikings offense on the field. Moreover, he was explosive and dynamic against the Steelers, helping Minnesota build a large enough lead to guard against the weekly late-game meltdown. This is the kind of football Minnesota wants to play.

One final thing: depending on how things proceed, Dalvin Cook may even be absent for the Packers game in two weeks. Regardless of where one stands on vaccinations, it’s obvious that getting the jab means the player will be more available to his team. The NFL set things up in such a way as to ensure there’s a competitive advantage for teams that have vaccinated players. Minnesota is now dealing with the consequences of one of its central players missing a critical game.

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