Dalvin Cook Undergoes Successful Surgery on Torn ACL

The Minnesota Vikings were dealt a significant blow when head coach Mike Zimmer confirmed running back Dalvin Cook suffered a torn ACL, but the rookie took the next step toward recovery Monday when he underwent successful surgery.

Per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press, Cook's surgery "went well," and the team expects him back for the start of the 2018 season. 

Zimmer already had an eye on Cook's future in the aftermath of the setback when he told reporters, "I expect him to come back and be the same that he was."

The injury occurred during the Vikings' Week 4 game against the Detroit Lions. Cook went down without contact as he was attempting to make a cut and didn't return. Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network first reported Minnesota's "initial diagnosis" was a "nearly complete ACL tear."

Minnesota selected him with a second-round pick out of Florida State, and he quickly worked his way into the starting role. He impressed right away with 127 rushing yards in the season opener against the New Orleans Saints and posted 354 rushing yards, 90 receiving yards and two touchdowns in four games before the setback.

The early production followed his dominance in college when he topped 1,000 rushing yards in three straight seasons for the Seminoles. He was particularly impressive in his final collegiate campaign when he tallied 1,765 rushing yards, 488 receiving yards and 20 total touchdowns.

While it is still natural to view Cook as a long-term replacement for the departed Adrian Peterson in Minnesota, the team will have to turn elsewhere the rest of 2017.

Latavius Murray should shoulder more of the load after he joined the Vikings during the offseason, having spent the first four years of his career with the Oakland Raiders. He proved he is capable of handling the role of primary running back in 2015 when he tallied 1,066 rushing yards, 232 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

Murray followed that with 788 rushing yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns on the ground last year.

The Vikings have Jerick McKinnon, who led the team with 16 carries and 95 yards in Week 5 against the Chicago Bears, to partner with Murray, in Cook's absence.