Should the Vikings sign Dalvin Cook after the 2020 season?

The Vikings took Dalvin Cook with the 41st-overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and it’s been an inconsistent journey for Cook in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Vikings hoped Dalvin Cook could be their running back of the future when they grabbed him in the second round of the draft three years ago. While Cook has been a nice player during his three years in the pros, him getting an extension from the Vikings isn’t a guarantee.

According to Courtney Cronin of ESPN, the Vikings and Cook are at an impasse when it comes to a contract extension.

"“With no deal in place, the Vikings are choosing to shelve negotiations for now, according to multiple sources.”"

The good news is that Cook has shown up to training camp despite reports that said otherwise.

Cook had a tremendous 2019 campaign, carrying the ball 250 times for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns while also grabbing 53 catches for 519 yards He was everywhere the Vikings needed him to be, but there’s been one lingering problem with the former Florida State product.

What’s holding the Vikings back from signing Dalvin Cook?

That problem is Cook has frequently been bitten by the injury bug. He’s yet to play a full 16-game season during his three years in the pros, but did come close last year with 14 starts.

Injuries are really the only reason the Vikings should be cautious when it comes to signing Cook to a long-term deal. Running backs aren’t as important as they used to be and as crazy as it is, at 25 years old, Cook is actually nearing “old” as far as the running back position is concerned.

Minnesota drafted Alexander Mattison last year in the third round and leaned on him quite a bit despite him not being the starter. He had 100 carries for 462 yards and a touchdown during his rookie season and would be able to carry the load if the Vikings decided not to keep Cook around.

Teams have learned that they can find running back depth late in the draft and also as undrafted free agents and that’s unfortunate for these running backs who are looking for long-term deals. That’s not to say it can’t still happen, but the Vikings might look at Cook’s injury history and Mattison’s production during his rookie year and decide they can spend that money elsewhere.