JULY 28: Cook appeared on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football on Friday, and discussed his upcoming Jets visit. He said the odds of a deal being worked out with New York in the near future are “pretty high,” providing an additional sign of where this situation appears to be headed (video link). Cook would give the Jets high-end insurance against Hall not being available to start the season (or at least not immediately returning to his pre-injury form), along with another contributor to their all-in approach.
Cook did add, however, that a deal with his hometown Dolphins remains a consideration and that he is still “weighing [his] options.” Only his Jets visit is currently on the books, and it would certainly come as little surprise at this point if it yielded an agreement. Others could follow, though, meaning this three-way AFC East competition remains ongoing.
JULY 27: Aaron Rodgers‘ long-rumored restructure coming to pass will lead to an immediate meeting with the highest-profile free agent remaining. Dalvin Cook intends to visit the Jets, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
The six-year veteran running back will visit with the team this weekend, per Pelissero. Per ESPN’s Dianna Russini (on Twitter), the meeting with take place Sunday. The AFC East has seen by far the most Cook connections, with the Dolphins and Patriots in this mix as well. But the Jets have loomed for a while. Rodgers’ restructure doubled as a pay cut, and the Jets will see if they can put the funds freed up from this agreement and the Quinnen Williams extension to immediate use. Cook’s visit adds to the momentum the Jets had established here.
Cook has said he wants to land with a contending team that carries a clear backfield need. The Jets have starter Breece Hall returning from an October ACL tear. While the 2022 second-round pick has long been expected to be back by Week 1, he began training camp on the team’s active/PUP list. The door remains open for Hall to be ready to go to start the regular season, but the Jets have not been shy about pursuing ex-Rodgers teammates or big names on offense this offseason.
In addition to the Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Mecole Hardman and Billy Turner additions, the Jets looked like the lead candidate for Odell Beckham Jr. this spring. Beckham scheduled a Jets visit but did not end up taking it, with the Ravens submitting a big offer that redirected the talented wide receiver to Baltimore. The Dolphins were long viewed as the lead Cook suitor, and Cook has discussed a deal with his hometown team. Miami’s first offer clearly did not impress Cook, who will give the Jets an opportunity to make a pitch soon.
While a Dolphins meeting could commence, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com adds the Patriots are the other Cook suitor attempting to set up a visit (Twitter link). They are in talks with Cook about bringing him to Foxborough for a meeting. The Pats already worked out Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson. Cook would be a splashier (and costlier) addition. New England hosted the other big-ticket summer free agent — DeAndre Hopkins — but did not come too close to matching Tennessee’s offer.
Despite the Patriots’ interest, Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline notes the purveying view around the league is the Jets will win this race and could wrap it up by week’s end. The team not wanting to rush Hall back represents the key reason for the Cook pursuit.
News of Cook setting up visits comes at an interesting time for the running back position. In addition to the Vikings bailing on Cook’s $12.6MM-per-year contract, the market led to multiple pay cuts, a free agency period that did not produce one $7MM-AAV accord and the franchise tag deadline passing with all three tagged backs attached to the $10.1MM number. Running backs have since discussed their status as a coalition, gathering for a recent Zoom call, as their value has taken more hits this offseason. Cook has not been expected to come too close to his Vikings AAV, and it will be interesting to see what terms it will take for him to sign.
The Jets and Rodgers coming to an agreement provided long-awaited clarity for the team, and its $15.98MM in available funds sits 11th. Gang Green has also been connected to a Corey Davis pay-cut request. Carl Lawson accepted a pay reduction, and the veteran defensive end stands as a more valuable piece for the sudden AFC contender. Davis is tied to an $11.18MM cap hit this year, and the Jets signed three wideouts in free agency. The seventh-year vet accepting a trim would free up more space, though the RB market crashing makes it unlikely Cook will be able to command an especially lucrative deal.
New England sits 12th in cap space, holding just more than $12.5MM. The Pats let Damien Harris leave for a low-level Bills contract but have seen Rhamondre Stevenson become one of the NFL’s best young backs. Two years remain on Stevenson’s rookie contract. The Pats have continued to explore an addition to their backfield, with second-year man Pierre Strong sitting as their top backup.
Cook would impact Stevenson’s role but give the Pats a clear RB2 upgrade. The Dolphins lack a starter on the level of Stevenson or Hall, though Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson have played for Mike McDaniel with two teams. It would seem Cook will attempt to use this Jets and Pats interest to push the Dolphins, who have been in on the accomplished vet since March and may or may not have explored a Saquon Barkley trade, to increase their offer.
Opting to save money by going with longtime Cook sidekick Alexander Mattison (at two years and $7MM), the Vikings joined the Cowboys in shedding a top-five RB contract this year. Cook, however, delivered better returns on his second contract compared to Ezekiel Elliott. Cook is the only back who has surpassed 1,100 rushing yards in each of the past four seasons. Going into his age-28 slate, the Florida State alum remains an intriguing piece. He may finish the summer having a significant say in a loaded AFC East.
2 years 18 million fully guaranteed but super bowl win is the only incentive
Bucs Cardinals and Raiders should be calling too
None of those teams will win more than 7 games this year. Cook should be shooting for a Super Bowl chance.
Players can elevate teams to playoff hopes too
super bowl not just playoffs
If those are his options…he should just keep training and wait until a decent team has an injury. Those franchises are where his career would die.
He’s going to end up a Jet, it’s pretty obvious to me
They just cleared $35 million in Rodgers contract and Breece isn’t guaranteed health week 1. Add to that jets rivals like patriots and Miami are in a bid for cook it would be stupid for them not to sign him
Lol, Patriots??? That cheap BB and RKK ain’t spending any money.
Vikings know something is wrong with him. I didn’t read anywhere that they even tried to negotiate w/ Cook. Solid back for sure, so why not discuss numbers with him?
They knew he wouldn’t renegotiate. He still thinks he’s worth 10M/year.
I have such conflicting thoughts on this situation with RBs.
In one hand – I really feel for these guys and I want them to be paid. They have worked their entire lives to the craft – and seemingly the large paydays are over.
On the other hand, I never want my Bills to pay another RB again. Its just not smart roster allocation and that position is not only very replaceable, but also more dependent on another group more than any other. (OL) The market is correct, unfortunately, even if slow to catch on.
It does seem as though many fans knew this 20 years ago. I got so frustrated with my Bills spending all that draft capital in RBs. Spiller, Lynch, Mcgahee etc. Its like we were trying to play a different game – in a pass heavy league. In my opinion, this was as big if a contribution to the drought era as not finding a QB.
Why GMs are just now catching on is weird to me, but the new QB salary scales, I suspect influence this heavily.
I was a big Motor Singletary fan. He was very under rated -not a top back, but certainly well above average. Im glad he got a reasonable salary, even if it was just one year. As my as I loved him, Im also glad we didn’t pay him.
Its a tough reality, and I find myself in two places.
Well said. I find it strange that people acknowledge what’s going on w/ the RB’s, then are excited to see a 27 year old FA (Cook) is visiting w/ different teams. Which is it?
27 is the new 30 for RBs.
I only disagree that you should want your team to use some draft capital on a RB (not necessarily a first rounder) because you don’t want to have to give out that 2nd contract. That is the one that almost always is too much for too little production.
The saga continues.
“weighing [his] options.”
It sounds like he will join whomever pays him the most.
At least we know which division he will be joining. Kinda odd that all 3 of the teams trying to recruit him are in the AFC East. If you would have asked me at the end of last season which AFC East team most desperately needs to add an elite RB I would have said the Buffalo Bills.
I honestly don’t know so I’m asking…
Are all 3 legitimately recruiting him, or is he kinda using them to get 1 team..any team..to make or increase an offer?
He recently posted a video of himself running through the Miami defense in week 6 of last season for a 53 yard TD, guessing he is just throwing fuel on the fire. It’s kind of smart on his part to feed into it, 3 division rivals all competing during the off-season to sign the same guy. He has to be thrilled knowing that he will get a nice contract from one of these teams, while the rest of the RB’s wait around to get shafted by the league.
The Jets are all in with Aaron Rodgers this season. Dalvin Cook (if he’s not secretly injured as arty! suggested above) would make a huge difference to their offense. It would make sense for the Jets to sign Dalvin Cook, even at slightly above market rates ($10 millionish/year, with $13 million guaranteed).
I do not think he is secretly injured, I have to imagine it was simply a money saving move. We all remember when the Cowboys had DeMarco Murray and rather than pay him they just let him go. The Cowboys knew their O-line was awesome and any decent RB could put up numbers behind it. Alexander Mattison is a good RB, I cannot call him elite right now but the Vikings O-line can make him look elite this year. Plus the Vikings need to save money for J.J’s soon to be record breaking contract.
So to your point, wherever Cook goes he is going to put up some numbers, he is a game changer.
Let’s hope so. Cook is exciting to watch and the Jets could certainly use a star in the backfield with Rodgers.