Despite releasing longtime linebacker Eric Kendricks, the Minnesota Vikings are still in a tough situation when it comes to getting under the salary cap and preparing for the upcoming 2023 NFL season.
Dalvin Cook is coming off a solid season that saw him rush for over 1,000 yards and score ten total touchdowns while dealing with shoulder injuries but his salary cap hit of $14.1 million might make it hard to keep him on the team.
Dalvin Cook
If Minnesota releases him, they will free approximately $8 million in salary cap space but if they can get some draft compensation for his services in addition to freeing cap space, that would be much better.
Considering he carries the fifth-highest cap hit in 2023 among running backs and how many teams are moving toward a cheaper committee approach, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah may try to move his leading rusher.
Team no.1: Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are in a sticky situation. They need a quarterback badly, but they also need to find a way to surround any passer they draft with enough talent to give them a chance to be successful.
Houston has the third most salary cap of any team in the league, having nearly $42 million to invest. Giving a rookie quarterback a proven running back like Dalvin Cook would make some sense for them.
Last season, Dameon Pierce had 939 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Pairing him with Dalvin Cook could be a smart move for a franchise trying to become relevant and emerge from the cellar of the NFL.
The Texans hold the number two overall pick in the draft and are likely to use that on a quarterback. But with picks so early in each round, their selections will be extra valuable as trade bait if they choose to use them that way.
Team no.2: Denver Broncos
With rumors swirling that the Denver Broncos aren’t sure what the future will hold for running back Javonte Williams, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them look to add some stability to the position this offseason.
Broncos GM George Paton is very familiar with Dalvin Cook since he was previously a member of the Vikings’ front office. If Cook does reach the trade block, that would make Denver an interesting landing spot for him.
Denver will be actively looking for a running back this offseason to ensure star quarterback Russell Wilson has a reliable rusher to lean on despite having Chase Edmonds returning for a year along with some other young rushers.
Denver is currently $9.7 over the salary cap, so they will need to clear a little cap space as well as give up some draft picks when they don’t have much capital. However, this move would show that the Broncos are serious about winning now.
Team no.3: Miami Dolphins
The combination of Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. combined for nearly 1,300 rushing yards and the Dolphins are approximately $14 million over the salary cap, but they would still be an interesting trade partner for the Minnesota Vikings.
Calling the Dolphins’ offense explosive would be an understatement. They have a great group of pass catchers and a home run threat like Dalvin Cook could be the icing on the cake that helps them win more games in an extremely tough conference.
The trade could also involve a player that new Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores really liked before his exit in Miami. The Vikings could definitely use some help on that side of the ball next season.
Although this would be a bit of a luxury trade for Miami, it is an interesting idea for these two teams to come together and make a deal happen. It would have a lot of moving parts, but could make both teams better in the long run.
Team no.4: Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has shown that he’s not afraid to wheel and deal with teams within the division. In fact, the Lions already seem to be one of his favorite trade partners and will have a need at running back next season.
The Lions currently have over $23 million to spend in salary cap space and still have D’Andre Swift returning but are losing touchdown machine and 1,000-yard rusher Jamaal Williams to free agency.
Having Swift and Cook would easily make them one of the scariest rushing teams in the league while they could use their draft picks to improve on their defense, which was ranked last in the NFL in yards allowed.
Detroit has the potential to be a very scary team next year if they can improve their defense and remain an offensive threat. In order to do that, they might see Dalvin Cook as an asset that can help to replace productivity lost in free agency.
Team no.5: Chicago Bears
Let’s be honest, the Chicago Bears have nearly $97 million available in free agency and could do just about anything they want to do this offseason. Their main goal should be to surround quarterback Justin Fields with talent.
Khalil Herbert is returning at running back but Chicago likely won’t want Fields to run as often as he did last season. David Montgomery rushed for 801 yards but becomes a free agent this offseason.
Chicago combining Cook and Herbert for their rushing attack while drafting defense and pass-catchers might result in some success for the team that ended the 2022 season with the worst overall record.
Dynamic players will always have value. Like Houston, the Bears have plenty of ammunition to get any players they think can help to take their team to the next level. Dalvin Cook might just be one of those guys.