The golden parachute the Minnesota Vikings gave Dalvin Cook is allowing the running back a chance to bid for higher pay. On Friday, the Vikings released their All-Pro star after failing to find a trade partner this offseason.
The Vikings were expected to move on from Cook this offseason. Before April’s draft, the Vikings were in trade talks with the Miami Dolphins, but nothing materialized. Multiple teams are reportedly interested in signing Cook in free agency. The Dolphins, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, and Dallas Cowboys seem like the most obvious choices. But they’ll have to pay a heavy price for Cook’s services.
The Minnesota Vikings owe Dalvin Cook cash
According to Tom Pelissero with the NFL Network, the Cook wants a contract north of $5 million.
Tom Pelissero reiterates what we’ve been reporting past several days: Dalvin Cook wants significant contract and is not taking 5 M… He’s not jumping on anything in that range.. willing to wait awhile. That’s why mutual interest with Fins, Cook isn’t enough (yet).
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) June 11, 2023
According to Dov Kleiman, Cook can wait out negotiations due to the $2 million he has coming from the Vikings this season:
“Cook’s representatives are keen on securing a deal that reflects his value and contributions on the field. While the negotiations could progress swiftly, Cook is also in a position to bide his time, given that he already has $2 million guaranteed from the Vikings after being released from his previous contract.”
That’s a pretty sweet deal for Cook. The Jets, Dolphins, Broncos, and Cowboys didn’t want to give up draft capital in a trade with the Vikings. But the bidding war itself will be costly. We’ll see which team will risk their cash on the 27-year-old star. Cook still appears to be worth a sizable contract, as he ran for over 1,100 yards and nearly earned 300 more in the passing game last season. He found the end zone ten times as well for the NFC North-winning Vikings in the 2022 campaign.
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