Dalvin Cook, Kareem Hunt's Top Landing Spots After Ezekiel Elliott's Cowboys Contract
The running back market shrunk a little further Monday with NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reporting Ezekiel Elliott agreed to a deal with the Dallas Cowboys.
That leaves Dalvin Cook and Kareem Hunt as two of the most distinguished ball-carriers without a team. The fact they're unsigned speaks to where their value sits.
Cook's performance fell off a cliff in 2023. After enjoying four straight seasons with 1,000 rushing yards, he went for 214 yards and zero touchdowns in 15 games with the New York Jets.
Hunt, who largely occupied a backup role during his five-year run with the Cleveland Browns, averaged a career-low 3.0 yards per carry and had his second-fewest yards from scrimmage (495).
In the case of both players, the completion of the 2024 NFL draft could increase their odds of landing a contract within the next few weeks.
Dalvin Cook
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Minnesota Vikings
If Elliott can wind up back in Dallas, why isn't a reunion between Cook and the Minnesota Vikings possible?
The Vikings made the right read on the four-time Pro Bowler when they released him last summer. They probably didn't envision his production falling off as much as it did, but they clearly saw a decline on the horizon.
Minnesota signed Aaron Jones to replace leading rusher Alexander Mattison. Ty Chandler (102 carries, 461 yards and three touchdowns) performed reasonably well as the backup too.
Cook would provide some depth and injury insurance for a team that has a rookie quarterback (J.J. McCarthy) but isn't fully rebuilding.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
There's no question Rachaad White is a dynamic pass-catcher out of the backfield. He had 64 receptions for 549 yards and three touchdowns in 2023.
Through two seasons, though, the 25-year-old is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry.
That explains why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers used a fourth-round pick on Bucky Irving, who ran for 2,937 yards and 20 touchdowns across spells at Minnesota and Oregon.
Cook could help to further stabilize the ground game for 2024 and allow for the Bucs to get a better idea of the long-term outlook for their backfield.
Kareem Hunt
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New York Giants
The New York Giants' backfield still looks a little thin coming out of the draft.
Devin Singletary has run for 800-plus yards in each of the last three seasons but isn't a like-for-like replacement for Saquon Barkley. Eric Gray had 23 total touches as a rookie. Tyrone Tracy Jr., a 2024 fifth-round draft pick, only became a full-time running back in 2023.
Although Singletary is clearly the No. 1 guy after signing a three-year, $16.5 million contract, New York would benefit from bringing in one more vet, and Hunt would slot in nicely as the backup.
Los Angeles Chargers
Based on their draft haul, the Los Angeles Chargers may believe they're set at running back. They waited until the sixth round to address the position, selecting Troy's Kimani Vidal.
Before that, Los Angeles signed J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards to make up for Austin Ekeler's departure.
Dobbins is coming off a torn Achilles, which continued an extended trend for the 2020 second-round pick. He has appeared in just 24 career games thanks to a series of injuries.
Like Singletary, Edwards is a solid addition but one without a high ceiling. He has averaged between 40 and 50 yards per game since 2019.
Hunt would be a contingency for Dobbins in the event the Achilles tear has seriously impacted his explosiveness on the ground.
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