NFL Rumors: Dalvin Cook 'Does Have Interest in the Jets' amid Dolphins Contract Buzz

Free agent running back Dalvin Cook is interested in playing for the New York Jets, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini.

"Cook does have interest in the Jets, a source close to the situation said," Cimini wrote.

The Florida native has previously been linked with the Miami Dolphins.

When responding to a question regarding the Jets' reported interest in Cook, head coach Robert Saleh said in a Thursday press conference that "you never want to say no to a great player."

That comment was made before the Star Tribune's Rochelle Olson reported on a court filing that said Cook offered his former girlfriend $1 million to send a letter to the NFL retracting her physical assault allegations against him.

Cook has filed a defamation lawsuit against the former girlfriend, Olson reported.

"The Jets always say they put an emphasis on character in player acquisitions," Cimini wrote. "How this impacts their thinking is unclear."

After being cut by the Minnesota Vikings, Cook has received signing interest from the majority of the AFC East, per ESPN.

Cook said Saturday that he was "taking my time and being patient with the process" regarding signing a new team.

"You can't rush this," Cook said to KTSP's Matt Kennedy. "This is a life decision… I'm just taking my time and not rushing it. When I make that decision it's going to be right for me and my family."

Despite reported interest from six teams including the Dolphins, Jets and New England Patriots, Cook taking his time to sign makes sense given the 2023 running back market.

Cook became one of the NFL's highest-paid running backs in 2020 after signing a five-year, $63-million deal with the Vikings. Despite four straight Pro Bowl seasons with over 1,100 rushing yards, that price tag eventually became too high for Minnesota, which cut Cook to save over $9 million in cap space in 2023.

The Vikings aren't the only team choosing cap flexibility over long-term backfield commitment. The New York Giants' Saquon Barkley, Las Vegas Raiders' Josh Jacobs and Dallas Cowboys' Tony Pollard are all looking at one-year tenders after failing to earn long-term deals before the franchise tag deadline. The largest contract given out to a free-agent running back this offseason has the Carolina Panthers' four-year, $25 million deal with Miles Sanders.

If Cook is hoping to return to being one of the league's highest-paid backs, the Jets could potentially make it happen. New York currently holds about $23.6 million in available cap space, according to Over the Cap.

That leaves enough room for the Jets to potentially compete with the Dolphins or Patriots if they want to acquire veteran depth behind Breece Hall as he returns from the ACL injury that cut his rookie season short.