NFL Rumors: Vikings suddenly gain a conscience about Dalvin Cook

The Vikings have been sending mixed signals about running back Dalvin Cook this offseason, now saying they have his best interests in mind.

The Minnesota Vikings and Dalvin Cook would appear to be parting ways this offseason, but that’s not what Minnesota recently said.

They want to “do right” by Cook. A nice sentiment, but it’s still incredibly vague and doesn’t take away from the fact that the Vikings have seemingly been preparing for Cook’s departure ever since they extended backup Alexander Mattison.

Right now, there’s a rising feeling that the Vikings will release Cook post-June 1 to save $9 million against the cap.

Minnesota and Cook first locked horns earlier this year when the team reportedly asked Cook to lower his salary for 2023. Cook is carrying a $14.1 million cap hit and will earn $10.4 million in base salary next season, and he apparently “balked at” his franchise’s request.

Months later, the Vikings appear willing to hash it out with Cook, whether that means negotiating his salary some more or trading him to a desirable suitor.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said:

"Dalvin Cook’s future has been sort of open-ended recently. I was told from a source that the Vikings want to do right by Dalvin Cook. Right now, they’re willing to hold on to his cap hit of around $14 million until they figure this all out.They want him to go to a place where he can play and be happy, whether that’s via trade, or eventual release, or even staying in Minnesota."

Vikings want the best for Dalvin Cook — or so they say

Fowler goes on to say that the Vikings may be “willing to listen to trade offers,” and that the Miami Dolphins were a feasible landing spot for the veteran back at one point.

However, the Dolphins just drafted a running back in the third round of the 2023 draft, taking themselves out of the Dalvin Cook sweepstakes.

“There’s not a clear-cut avenue for [Cook] to be traded at the moment,” Fowler admits, so… What exactly are the Vikings planning to do with him?

The 28-year-old has suffered from shoulder issues in the past, but he could be considered less injury-prone than other backs and he’s still producing at a high level.

The main roadblock in the way of a trade is Cook’s hefty contract, which few teams may want to take on for a non-premium position.

Regardless of the Vikings saying that they want to do right by Cook and see him go to a place where he’s happy, they’re doing things that suggest they’re done with the running back. If the team releases him after June 1 (or before, like how the Cowboys treated Ezekiel Elliott), he’s on his own.

Pay attention to what teams do rather than what they say this offseason. The difference is extraordinary.