Top Potential NFL Landing Spots for Dalvin Cook If Vikings Cut Star RB
Life comes at you fast in the NFL—especially if you play running back.
It has already been a rough offseason for backs—especially ones with big salaries. Former NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott was released by the Cowboys. Austin Ekeler of the Chargers requested a trade out of Los Angeles. Rumors have swirled that Joe Mixon of the Bengals could be released.
And he may not be alone.
While appearing on ESPN's SportsCenter, Jeremy Fowler said of the Minnesota Vikings and Dalvin Cook: "I'm told all options are on the table here and that he could be released closer to the draft if things don't work out. They had talked to at least one team about a trade in the past closer to free agency, so he is certainly a name to watch."
It's not a matter of performance—Cook has made the Pro Bowl each of the past four seasons, gained over 1,300 total yards all four years and scored 46 touchdowns over that span. In 2022, Cook rushed for 1,173 yards, averaged 4.4 yards per carry and scored 10 times (eight rushing, two receiving). But he carries a cap hit of at least $13.5 million each of the next three years, and the Vikings ostensibly have a cheaper replacement in Alexander Mattison.
However, just because Minnesota might not want Cook doesn't mean other teams won't. In fact, a number of contenders (and at least one team that aspires to be one) would appear to be a good fit for Cook's services should he become available.
Denver Broncos
1 of 7
There isn't a team more desperate to wash off the stink from the 2022 campaign than the Denver Broncos. There's no way to sugarcoat what a disaster the first season of the Russell Wilson era was in the Mile High City.
Part of the reason for those struggles was a run game that averaged a moribund 113.8 yards per game—21st in the NFL. That run game stalled after 22-year-old Javonte Williams tore up his knee in a Week 4 loss to the Raiders.
While speaking to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine, Broncos general manager George Paton offered an optimistic outlook for Williams' Week 1 availability:
"I think he's on track. I don't want to put a date on it. But he's out there jogging. He's working his butt off. He's rehabbing. Javonte—they anticipate he would be ready for the start of the season. We'll have a plan [if he's not ready at the start of the season]. We'll have another back or two to be ready if he can't go."
However, there has been speculation that Williams' injury is more severe than the Broncos are letting on, including the possibility that he could miss most or all of 2023, per NBC Sports' Matthew Berry. The Broncos added Samaje Perine in free agency, but Perine hasn't had 100 carries in a season since his rookie year in 2017.
Signing Cook may be a tacit admission that Williams' status for the upcoming season is in doubt. But head coach Sean Payton's biggest priority this year is getting the Broncos back on track. Cook would help them do that—especially in the short term.
Los Angeles Chargers
2 of 7
The Los Angeles Chargers have one of the NFL's best running backs in Austin Ekeler, who has a league-high 38 total touchdowns over the past two years. But the Chargers also have a problem.
Ekeler, 27, doesn't want to be there anymore.
While speaking to SiriusXM Radio (via Paulina Dedaj of Fox News), Ekeler reiterated his desire to be traded after extension talks stalled:
"I kind of got punched in the face when the Chargers basically said, 'Hey, we don't want to talk about extensions anymore.' This is the organization that I've continued to rise and hit new heights in and continue to add more value … so, that's how it felt, right? It felt like, 'Wow, this is the first time in my career with them that I felt disrespected by my own organization.'"
This would be a two-step process. The first would be finding a trade partner willing to sacrifice a draft pick and give Ekeler the extension he's seeking. The second would be signing Cook as Ekeler's replacement.
The former is admittedly easier said than done. But if the Chargers could do it, Cook would make a lot of sense. Los Angeles is in win-now mode, and in many respects the 5'10", 210-pound Cook is a slightly bigger Ekeler (5'10", 200 lbs)—both are excellent receivers out of the backfield.
The Bolts offense wouldn't miss a beat going from one to the other.
Buffalo Bills
3 of 7
At first glance, this might appear to be an odd fit.
The Buffalo Bills already took steps to replace the departed Devin Singletary, signing Damien Harris to a one-year deal. While speaking to reporters at his introductory presser, Harris told reporters that Buffalo's status as one of the AFC's elite teams was one of the things that drew him to Western New York:
"This is a great organization, from top to bottom, from ownership to the management to the coaching, the players, the entire staff. I feel like the transition into a great organization, it's just obviously so appealing. The trajectory of this organization, kind of the momentum that this team is building, it's all appealing. And it's all something that I wanted to be a part of, and something that I felt like I could come in and help with."
That elite status could also be what draws the Bills to Cook.
Yes, the Bills already added Harris. And they already have a speed back in second-year pro James Cook, who just so happens to be Dalvin's younger brother.
But neither Harris nor James Cook has Dalvin's talent or NFL resume. The younger Cook and Harris have combined for exactly zero 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Dalvin has at least 1,100 yards on the ground in each of the past four years.
The Bills have one goal in 2023: to win the franchise's first Super Bowl.
Cook helps their chances of doing that.
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Dallas Cowboys
4 of 7
We know a few things about the Dallas Cowboys.
The first is that they have the same expectations in 2023 as they do every year. Making the playoffs isn't good enough. Neither is winning the NFC East. This team wants to go to Las Vegas and win the Super Bowl.
The second is that owner Jerry Jones has never been shy about making splashy acquisitions, whether it's via free agency or a trade. The Cowboys already made one this offseason when they acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the Houston Texans.
The third is that the Cowboys have a hole at running back after releasing Ezekiel Elliott. Dallas placed the franchise tag on Tony Pollard after a career year, but he has just one season with at least 150 carries, has never carried the ball 200 times and suffered a broken leg and high ankle sprain in the Cowboys' playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
There's a reason Bijan Robinson has been mentioned so often as a potential target for the Cowboys in the first round of the 2023 draft.
If Robinson is Plan A for Dallas at running back at the end of the month, Cook could be Plan B—a proven difference-maker who would both allow Dallas to continue the two-back system it has employed in recent years and provide a measure of insurance if Pollard isn't ready for Week 1.
Cincinnati Bengals
5 of 7
The Cincinnati Bengals are smack in the middle of one of the most successful stretches in franchise history. In 2021, the Bengals gave the Los Angeles Rams all they could handle in Super Bowl LVI. Last year, the team lost a thriller to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
The time is now in the Queen City.
Unfortunately, the time is also now for quarterback Joe Burrow to receive a massive contract extension. And between that extension, a down year (3.9 yards per carry) from running back Joe Mixon, a 2023 cap hit of $12.8 million and an offseason misdemeanor charge of aggravated menacing, there has been speculation that Mixon's time with the team could be up.
While appearing on SportsCenter on Saturday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler allowed that Mixon's future in Cincinnati is cloudy:
"Joe Mixon, here's another one that's a high-end running back due $9.4 million in salary. The Bengals have been noncommittal about Mixon's future publicly, so that's why he's one to watch here because they need running back help, though, they're pretty thin behind him. So, they could keep him because they believe he had a good all-around year last year, but something has to give. They got to pay Joe Burrow, so they need some extra money."
If the Bengals do release Mixon, the team will absolutely have to bring in a back. Adding Cook wouldn't be cheap (barring a renegotiated deal)—his cap hit is $14.1 million.
But Cook is a much more proven commodity than a rookie. And a pretty strong argument can be made that he's an upgrade over Mixon.
Miami Dolphins
6 of 7
Last year, the Miami Dolphins fielded the sixth-best offense in the NFL in terms of yards per game despite an assortment of injuries. The team ranked just outside the top 10 in points per game. Still, the Dolphins struggled to run the ball, averaging just 99.2 yards per game—25th in the league.
Given that lack of success, it was a little surprising that Miami essentially doubled down on the 2022 backfield, bringing back Jeff Wilson Jr. and Raheem Mostert. While speaking to reporters, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said the team's struggles on the ground had little to do with the players carrying the rock:
"We had the opportunity to bring two of our strongest character contributors – and really players – we depend on in Raheem and Jeff. They're both, I think, above 4.7 yards per carry, and when I look at the tape, I think there'd be a little bit of a different feeling if ... we didn't run the ball, not because they didn't run the ball well. We didn't run the ball well in games that we were overly injured or some games I just didn't call enough runs."
McDaniel can talk up his players until he's teal in the face. But there's a reason many predict Miami will add a back in the 2023 draft.
Cook would allow the Dolphins to do so without spending draft capital—and he's on an entirely different level talentwise.
Philadelphia Eagles
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This is it. The dream landing spot for Cook. And the nightmare landing spot for the rest of the league.
The Philadelphia Eagles were fifth in the NFL in rushing a year ago, averaging a robust 147.6 yards per game on the ground. But that run game was cast into uncertainty when lead back Miles Sanders signed with the Carolina Panthers in March.
The Eagles took steps to address that hole, bringing in 2018 first-round pick Rashaad Penny. While speaking to reporters, head coach Nick Sirianni said the team has confidence in Penny and holdovers Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott.
"We feel really good about the room as it is right now," coach Nick Sirianni said. "Love the addition of Rashaad and have wanted to coach him for a long time."
However, at the March league meetings, Eagles CEO Jeffrey Lurie also stated they won't be shy about aggressively adding pieces on offense:
"Offenses dominate in this league, and that's why we've always focused more resource allocation on making sure we have an outstanding offense, because it's very hard to stop -- I'll add Jalen to this list -- the Jalen Hurts, the Patrick Mahomes, the Josh Allens, the Joe Burrows, the young guns and the old guns, Aaron Rodgers and all of that group. It's impossible, given the rules of this league."
There are no shortage of mock drafts predicting the Eagles will draft Bijan Robinson 10th overall this year. But general manager Howie Roseman has never used a top-50 pick on a running back, let alone a top-10 one.
Bringing in Cook would give an already loaded Eagles offense another impact player.
And running behind arguably the best line in the league, Cook could easily lead the NFL in rushing with the Eagles in 2023.
Salary-cap information via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.
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