In an article penned by ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, it notes that multiple teams around the league believe the Vikings could be trying to move star running back Dalvin Cook.
“The Vikings are open for business as well. They’ve released three veteran players thus far — including legacy player Adam Thielen — and multiple teams believe Minnesota has had trade talks centered around running back Dalvin Cook. The team is attempting to re-sign Cook’s backup, Alexander Mattison, who is poised for a starter’s role somewhere.”
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Cook’s production dipped in 2022, though he still managed to rush for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns on the season. But his average of 69 rush yards per game was his lowest output since 2018 and the second-lowest of his career.
He played through a shoulder injury during the season, which required offseason surgery to correct. Cook, who turns 28 years old this offseason, is on the backend of his prime and hasn’t played up to his $14 million cap hit due to hit in 2023.
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As mentioned in the article, Alexander Mattison is more than capable to assume the starting role if Minnesota opts to re-sign him.
In today’s game, running backs nearing 30 years old aren’t deemed worthy of the kind of money that Cook will cost. With the free agency period kicking off on March 15, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some of these trade talks pick up some steam throughout the week.