By Jordan Long
The Minnesota Vikings were hoping to reach a new deal with running back Dalvin Cook before the first week of the season. Unfortunately, talks have stalled for now. Luckily for the Vikings, Cook will not hold out and is preparing for the season.
Cook enters his 4th season with the Vikings. His stats have increased in the NFL ever since his rookie year in 2017. Last season Cook was the number one back, rushing for a career high 1,135 yards, 13 touchdowns with an impressive average yards per rush of 4.5.
Cook was also used in the passing game. When he caught a pass out in the open field it was close to first downs. Cook managed to catch 53 passes for 519 yards with an average yards per catch of 9.8. Cook was also valuable when it came to protecting quarterback Kirk Cousins. When pressure came, Cook blocked the defensive players, giving Cousins more time to find an open receiver downfield for large chunks of yards to move the chains.
Cook’s contract is up at the end of this year. He is going to be paid $1.3 million. Cook wants a long-term deal to stay in Minnesota. The Vikings tried to talk to him about a new agreement but money is the big holdup. Cook wants at least $13 million a year which would match Houston Texans’ running back David Johnson as the 4th highest paying running back in the NFL.
The Vikings, though, don’t seem to want to pay him that much. Cook needs to come down from that demand. The Vikings may not have the cap space next season to offer him that amount. The worst case is the Vikings agree to the franchise tag before free agency. The tag will at least pay Cook as one of the highest running backs in the league plus it would give the Vikings more time to reach a new deal with him. Cook is worth an extension. His numbers last season show it.
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