Is Dalvin Cooked? Possible destinations for the running back

The Minnesota Vikings have released running back Dalvin Cook, ending his six year run with the team. During that span, he made four Pro Bowls, and amassed nearly 6,000 yards on the ground. The 27 year-old running back is now free to find a new NFL home, and we’ll take a look at possible teams he may end up with.

It’s going to be interesting to see whether Cook prioritizes winning or a big payday at his next NFL stop. It makes sense for running backs to chase the money since their careers tend to be shorter than other players, but Buffalo might make sense as a destination if he wants to contend. Cook’s brother James, also a running back, plays for the Bills as well.

Even before Cook was let go by the Vikings, there were a lot of rumors that he would end up with the Dolphins. Cook was born in Miami, and signing with his hometown team would make a lot of sense. The Dolphins utilized a few solid backs in Mike McDaniel’s first season as head coach, but Cook would represent a massive upgrade at the position.

Baltimore would appear to be a threat to lead the league in rushing as a team as long as Lamar Jackson is at quarterback. Their offense has been predicted on handoffs that confuse the defense, and their running backs had a hard time staying healthy last year. Cook’s addition would make them very difficult to stop.

At first glance, Cleveland doesn’t make a whole lot of sense as a landing spot for Cook. However, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was the offensive coordinator in Minnesota before leaving town, and has a lot of familiarity with this particular player. That relationship might convince Cook to come to Cleveland, and split work with incumbent back Nick Chubb.

The Commanders are expected to take a patchwork approach at quarterback this season, either starting journeyman Jacoby Brissett, or the unproven Sam Howell. Either way, Washington would be well served by getting the ground game going. Adding Cook into the mix would help the team establish a ground and pound style of play.

The Vikings released Cook with the likely confidence that no one directly competing with them would pick him up. That logic holds true for division rivals Green Bay and Detroit, who are set at running back. However, it would be interesting for Chicago to take a gander at Cook, especially with the rushing prowess quarterback Justin Fields displayed last season.

The Buccaneers pushed their chips towards the middle of the table to succeed with Tom Brady, and are now trying to rearrange the deck while staying under the salary cap. If Cook wants a hefty payday, Tampa Bay might not be a good fit. If he wants the path of least resistance to a division title, Tampa Bay might be the place to go.

The Rams took a major step back after winning the Super Bowl, but are looking to get back to the top of the NFC. Los Angeles will hope to have better injury luck than they did a year ago, and will also look to establish a ground game that sputtered in 2022. Adding Cook to the backfield mix should help diversify an offense that was extremely reliant on Cooper Kupp.