Dalvin Cook - Pro Football Rumors

Dalvin Cook To Return In Week 9?

November 3rd, 2018 at 8:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings may have their preferred starting running back in action earlier than expected. Dalvin Cook is on track to play Sunday against the Lions, Andrew Krammer of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

Cook’s been dealing with a hamstring injury for most of the season and hasn’t played since Week 4. While the Vikings having the 2017 second-rounder back would help their cause, Krammer adds he’s only expected to be used in a part-time capacity. A 15- to 20-snap workload should be anticipated for Cook.

Listed as questionable, Cook has struggled with this injury for weeks. The Vikings previously planned to play him against the Cardinals three weeks ago but nixed the idea after warmups. Cook’s only rushed for 98 yards (2.7 per carry) this season, and Latavius Murray‘s continued to be the Vikings’ primary back.

He was a limited practice participant throughout this week. Cook said (via the Associated Press) he didn’t experience a setback, missing practice for two weeks, instead calling this a slow-healing malady.

Minnesota has a Week 10 bye, but Mike Zimmer said the team isn’t interested in delaying a return until after that — as a previous report indicated would be the play — if Cook is healthy enough to contribute. Still, it sounds like Cook won’t be at full strength until after the bye at the earliest.

Vikings RB Dalvin Cook Out Until Week 11?

October 25th, 2018 at 8:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Vikings running back Dalvin Cook could be sidelined through Minnesota’s Week 10 bye, sources tell Courtney Cronin of ESPN.com.

Cook originally injured his hamstring in Week 2 and missed the Vikings’ next game before returning in Week 4. However, Cook managed to play 18 offensive snaps in that Thursday night contest against the Rams, and hasn’t been on the field since. Cook, of course, missed the majority of his rookie season in 2017 after suffering a torn ACL.

If Cook can’t go until Week 11, he’ll miss two massively important games against the Saints and Lions. Veteran Latavius Murray, who has handled the load in Cook’s absence, would again take over as Minnesota’s starting running back. Over the past three weeks, Murray has rushed for 266 yards while averaging 5.32 yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns. Undrafted free agents Roc Thomas and Mike Boone will take a few snaps, but Murray will shoulder the majority of the work.

Cook, the 41st overall pick in 2017, had injury issues in college, as well, but was excellent in four games as the Vikings’ starter last season. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry on 74 rushes, scoring twice before that aforementioned ACL injury ended his season. Among running backs with fewer than 100 attempts, Cook ranked eighth in Football Outsiders’ DYAR, which measures value over replacement level.

Vikings’ Dalvin Cook To Miss Game Vs. Jets

October 19th, 2018 at 12:58pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings will be without Dalvin Cook yet again when they face the Jets on Sunday, the team announced. That makes three absences in a row for the second-year pro.

Cook suffered a torn ACL as a rookie missed the majority of his rookie campaign in 2017, but averaged 4.8 yards per carry before going down. So far this year, he hasn’t been all that productive in his three contests.

The Vikings are already well set at running back, so it’s unlikely that they’ll make a move before this weekend. Latavius Murray should continue in the lead role with support from Michael Boone, Roc Thomas, and fullback C.J. Ham.

With a record of 3-2-1, the Vikings are tied for second in the NFC North with the Packers. A Vikings win coupled with Bears (vs. Patriots) and Packers (@ Rams) losses would vault them to the divisional lead.

TNF Notes: Vikings, Cook, Rams, Peters

September 27th, 2018 at 6:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at a few notes on the Vikings and Rams before tonight’s tilt:

Running back Dalvin Cook didn’t play in Week 3 when the Vikings lost to the Bills, but he’s expected to suit up tonight, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Cook is dealing with a hamstring injury, and Minnesota coaches plan to use caution by examining his during pre-game warmups. After taking part in today’s walkthrough, Cook will be on a pitch count against the Rams. That means backup Latavius Murray, who filled in for Cook last week, could see work against Los Angeles’ vaunted defensive line. Cook, of course, suffered a torn ACL and missed the majority of his rookie campaign in 2017, but did average 4.8 yards per carry before going down.
Cook isn’t the only injured player who will be active for tonight’s contest, as Rams cornerback Marcus Peters will be avaialable despite reports he would miss time with a calf strain, tweets Steve Wyche of NFL.com. Peters was expected to miss two-to-four weeks, a devastating loss especially given that fellow Los Angeles defensive back Aqib Talib was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. Instead, Peters will take the field, giving the Rams at least some hope of stopping Vikings wideouts Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Like Cook, Peters could conceivably be on a snap limit, meaning Los Angeles will need to count on reserves like Sam Shields and Troy Hill.
After a bizarre weekend, Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen will unsurprisingly be inactive for tonight’s game. He spent today finishing a mental health evaluation, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds Griffen is expected to speak publicly about his situation in the near future. Police were called to Minneapolis hotel Saturday following reports Griffen was threatening to assault staff members, and Griffen later reportedly behaved erratically outside teammate Trae Waynes‘ home.

Vikings’ Dalvin Cook To Miss Time

September 21st, 2018 at 1:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings running back Dalvin Cook has been officially ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Bills, the team announced on Friday. The same goes for defensive end Everson Griffen, who is dealing with a knee injury.

Cook injured his hamstring last week in last week’s tie against the Packers. The injury may cost Cook time beyond this weekend’s game, as coach Mike Zimmer says that his availability is up in the air for the team’s short turnaround against the Rams on Thursday.

This was expected to be a bounce back season for Cook, but he has yet to find his footing in 2018. Cook averaged just 2.5 yards per carry in the Vikings’ season opener against the 49ers and he had just 38 yards rushing in last week’s contest against Green Bay.

The good news for the Vikings is that they can rely on Latavius Murray, one of the more talented RB2s in the NFL, to fill the void for however long Cook is out. They also have Michael Boone, and Roc Thomas on the roster, plus fullback C.J. Ham, so they might not have to go out-of-house for depth.

Dalvin Cook Ahead Of Schedule

May 20th, 2018 at 9:34pm CST by Micah Powell

In late April, it was reported Vikings running back Dalvin Cook was on track to be ready for training camp in July. In an interview with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero on Sunday, head coach Mike Zimmer confirmed that report and added that the second-year back is ahead of schedule.

“He’s done really well. He’s ahead of schedule and we’re excited about where he’s at. I think he’ll get in OTAs some but it’ll be limited until we get to training camp.”

The Florida State product got off to a hot start in 2017, rushing for 288 yards in Minnesota’s first three games. In Week 4 against Detroit, however, Cook tore his ACL and was lost for the remainder of the season. He returned to the field and participated in some on-field drills when the team held their voluntary workouts in April.

With Cook returning and the addition of Kirk Cousins in the offseason, Minnesota appears to have improved upon an offense that ranked in the top 10 in points in 2017. When Cook returns, he will share the load with Latavius Murray, who rushed for 593 yards and seven touchdowns following the team’s Week 9 bye week.

Dalvin Cook On Track For Full Participation At Vikings Training Camp

April 24th, 2018 at 6:45pm CST by Ryan Posner

It appears Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is on track to be a full participant when the team opens training camp in July, via Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Cook, who tore his ACL in Week 4 of his rookie season last year, has been participating in some on-field drills since the Vikings began their voluntary workouts on April 16.

The Vikings took Cook in the second round of the 2017 draft out of Florida State and he had a superb start to his NFL career, rushing for 354 yards on 74 carries (4.8-yard average) to go with two rushing touchdowns, while also catching 11 passes for 90 yards.

Minnesota advanced to last season’s NFC Championship game, relying on the services of Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon at running back. Cook had assumed the starting role to open the year over Murray, who’s set to enter the second year of a three-year deal. McKinnon signed with the 49ers this offseason.

“When I first got hurt, I told [Vikings athletic trainer Eric Sugarman], ‘I’m going to attack this thing 100 percent,’ ” Cook said, via Tomasson. “And the staff we’ve got around me, the people they put around me, there was no chance that I wasn’t going to come back.”

Tomasson notes that the departure of McKinnon likely means the Vikings will add depth at the position through the draft. Mack Brown is currently the only other running back on the roster outside of Cook and Murray.

Vikings RB Dalvin Cook Done For Season

October 2nd, 2017 at 11:55am CST by Zachary Links

It’s official – Dalvin Cook‘s season is over. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer confirmed to reporters on Monday that Cook will be shut down with a torn ACL.

The Vikings feared the worst when Cook exited Sunday’s game against the Vikings. The rookie running back went down without contact mid-stride, so a fully torn ACL was the most likely culprit from the get-go.

Although Zimmer called this a fairly standard ACL injury, the fourth-year Vikings coach said there added there could be damage to Cook’s meniscus along with some cartilage damage, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets.

Cook was averaging 4.7 yards per carry heading into Week 4 and had 10 catches for 82 yards through the air. The Vikings may not be able to replace his production, but they do have internal options to draw from. Latavius Murray, who was the presumptive starter when he signed a three-year, $15MM free agent deal with the Vikings in March, now figures to be the top tailback. The athletic Jerick McKinnon is also on the roster and Bronson Hill could be bumped up from the practice squad for depth.

At Florida State, Cook was the only player to rush for more than 4,000 yards in three ACC seasons in conference history. His future is still bright, but he’ll first have to traverse a long road to recovery between now and September 2018.

Vikings Fear RB Dalvin Cook Has Torn ACL

October 1st, 2017 at 3:37pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Vikings rookie running back Dalvin Cook is believed to have suffered a nearly complete ACL tear, according to Ian Rapoport of and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). An MRI on Monday will confirm the severity of Cook’s knee issue.

Cook has been revelation for Minnesota since the Vikings traded up to acquire him in the second round of the 2017 draft. The Florida State product had averaged 4.7 yards per carry heading into Week 4, and had also added 10 receptions for 82 yards through the air. Cook’s only real negative had been his pass-blocking, as he ranked No. 27 among 28 qualifiers in that capacity, per Pro Football Focus. All told, Cook had been on the field for roughly 70% of the Vikings’ offensive snaps.

If Cook is lost for the season, Minnesota does have internal options readily available. Veteran Latavius Murray signed a three-year, $15MM deal with the Vikings in March, but has barely seen the field thanks to Cook’s presence. He offers experience, however, as he’s toted the ball more than 550 times in his NFL career. Jerick McKinnon is on the roster, too, and would presumably take over third-down work. Bronson Hill, an Eastern Washington product, is a candidate for a potential practice squad promotion.

The Vikings could look to the free agent market in search of another running back, although no unsigned player is likely to replace Cook’s electricity. Tim Hightower, Ryan Mathews, Shaun Draughn, C.J. Spiller, and DeAngelo Williams are among the veterans available for an immediate signing. A trade could also be possible, and candidates for a deal speculatively include Matt Forte, Jeremy Hill, and former Viking Adrian Peterson.

Cook isn’t the only critical Minnesota offensive player who’s suffered a knee injury this year, as quarterback Sam Bradford experienced swelling following Week 1 and hasn’t played since. With backup Case Keenum leading the offense, the Vikings have posted a 1-2 record and are now 2-2 on the season.

Vikings Sign Dalvin Cook

May 31st, 2017 at 4:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Dalvin Cook signed his rookie contract with the Vikings on Wednesday, the team announced. The second-round running back said a deal might be “pretty close” earlier today and was accurate.

The Florida State running back’s deal is for four years. All 11 Vikings draft picks are under contract.

Reggie Ragland, the No. 41 overall pick in 2016, signed for $5.841MM. The No. 40 overall pick in 2017, wideout Curtis Samuel, signed for $6.453MM. The Vikings traded up from No. 48 to 41 to nab Cook, who starred at Florida State for three seasons.

It’s a $6.35MM deal, Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets, adding that Cook will receive a $2.76MM signing bonus.

The only player to rush for more than 4,000 yards in three ACC seasons in conference history, Cook will compete with Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon for the Vikes’ starting running back job. But with Murray’s deal only locked in for this season and McKinnon a 2018 free agent-to-be, this backfield looks to be Cook’s long-term, provided the runner can live up to the billing.