The New England Patriots sent a message to Dalvin Cook and his agent a day after headlines appeared showing oddsmakers had the Patriots as the favorite to sign Cook.
The Patriots need more firepower on their offense. After missing on DeAndre Hopkins, the Patriots are free to be more aggressive in the sweepstakes to win an elite running back in Cook. Head coach Bill Belichick needs any edge he can in a season he’s on the hot seat.
NFL News: New England Patriots sending a message to Dalvin Cook?
But the Patriots don’t appear to be bullied into giving Cook his desired price. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC, the Patriots worked out running backs Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson.
#Patriots worked out Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 19, 2023
This week there has been a lot of talk in the NFL about veteran running backs not getting paid. One argument for the lack of value at the position is the supply/demand problem. The Patriots just provided an example of what that means.
Fournette is going to be a cheaper option than Cook, and the 2017 first-round pick is pretty good himself. Fournette is coming off a season where he had over a combined 1,000 yards and six touchdowns with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also has Super Bowl-winning experience.
The surplus of veteran options at running back drops the overall market. And unlike receivers, teams typically only use one back on the field at a time.
The Patriots can and will bring in veteran free agents to keep Cook’s price down. Now it’s up to the agents and front offices to decide how much of a difference there is between Cook and Fournette.
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