NFL rumors: Division rival could steal Dalvin Cook from Dolphins

While many have pegged the Miami Dolphins as the ideal Dalvin Cook landing spot, it looks like he could end up playing for a division rival instead. 

The Miami Dolphins have been connected to Dalvin Cook all summer. The Minnesota Vikings’ decision to waive the star running back left him free to choose his next NFL home. The Dolphins are loaded with talent at every position on offense, except running back. He could be the piece that elevates Miami to the next level of contention.

That said, the Dolphins have yet to make a concrete offer and Cook is open to other options — some of them in the same division.

In a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Cook revealed that he hasn’t received any offers from Miami and that a move to the Buffalo Bills is “not out of the picture” (h/t Bleacher Report).

NFL free agent Dalvin Cook could join Buffalo Bills instead of Miami Dolphins

For Cook, the appeal of a team like Buffalo is obvious. Josh Allen is the second or third-best quarterback in the NFL depending on who you ask. The Bills have one of the league’s most dynamic offenses, headed by Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and Dawson Knox in the receiving corps.

Where Buffalo could use a more experienced No. 1 option is halfback. That, however, is where Cook hesitates. The Bills’ top running back right now is second-year UGA product James Cook. He happens to be Dalvin’s younger brother.

“[I don’t] want to be the one being in his way,” Cook told Eisen after admitting the “exciting” nature of possibly playing with his brother. That’s a unique conflict, as the elder Cook would be well-positioned for success in Buffalo, but potentially at the expense of his younger brother.

James Cook scrambled for 507 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. He operated in a timeshare last season but he’s currently slated to operate as the team’s lead back. That is, of course, unless the Bills sign a more experienced option like Dalvin. The older brother still oozes star aura; he made his fourth Pro Bowl appearance last season after rushing for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns.

That said, the Vikings’ decision to waive Cook did feel like the end of an era. His days as a workhorse back are probably over. NFL teams are starting to be smarter about preserving running backs by forcing even the best rushers into timeshares. At 27 years old with at least 249 carries in each of his last four seasons, Cook has a lot of miles on his body. He could benefit from splitting carries with somebody else. Why not his brother?

A 50-50 timeshare between the Cook brothers (or, perhaps more realistically a 65-35 split in favor of Dalvin) could benefit both of them. James Cook is clearly talented, but it’s wise to play the long game with young backs. This keeps James and Dalvin fresh, and who better to teach James the ropes directly than his superstar older brother?

Josh Allen would surely love to have Cook vacuuming up early-down yards to set up big throws for Diggs and company on the outside. James Cook would presumably love to have his brother around, but it could get awkward at family dinner if the timeshare isn’t balanced. That would have to be a point of discussion and understanding between Dalvin and the coaching staff before he signs in Buffalo, if he signs in Buffalo.