NFL Rumors: Dalvin Cook Preferred Jets to Dolphins Because of Aaron Rodgers Trade

On Monday, Dalvin Cook signed a one-year deal with the New York Jets worth up to $8.6 million, joining a suddenly stacked offense that also includes quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receivers Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman and running back Breece Hall.

And it was apparently Rodgers who was the primary factor in Cook signing with the Jets, as NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said on The Rich Eisen Show Tuesday:

"I think that everybody initially was connecting Cook to the Miami Dolphins. And the Dolphins were certainly involved throughout the process. They would have gladly added Cook to their team. But going back even a month or so before Cook was released, I had heard that Dalvin's priority—because at that point he knew he was not going to be a Minnesota Viking—was to land in New York and team up with Aaron Rodgers, his old NFC North rival, to try to win the Super Bowl. Nothing ended up progressing in the spring in terms of a trade, so Dalvin ends up getting released. The Denver Broncos were involved. The New England Patriots made a run at Cook. And again, the Dolphins were involved throughout the process. But what Dalvin wanted was that opportunity to team up with Rodgers."

Granted, there are potentially other factors—of the greener variety—that persuaded Cook to join the Jets over the Dolphins:

Either way, the Jets are loaded.

Adding Cook brings a four-time Pro Bowler to the Big Apple, one who rushed for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns last season, adding 39 catches for 295 yards and an additional two scores.

One of the ironies of the signing is that the Dolphins could have used a star at running back far more than the Jets. Cook would have been a huge upgrade over Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. in Miami, whereas the 22-year-old Hall looked like a star in the making during his 2022 rookie season, accumulating 681 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns in seven games before tearing his ACL.

Granted, the Dolphins don't lack for weapons in a passing game led by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. They'll have one of the most explosive offenses in football.

But Cook would have given them one more issue for defenses to solve. Instead, the Jets added another playmaker to Rodgers' arsenal, and it sounds like a partnership Cook had been plotting for quite some time.