With Dalvin Cook’s release from the Minnesota Vikings imminent, could the four-time Pro Bowl running back be an option for the New York Jets? As it stands, the Jets are heavily linked to Cook. But, considering the Jets are set to welcome Breece Hall back from a torn ACL, does it make sense to spend big on another running back?
Should Dalvin Cook be a Jet?
Pros
Despite suffering a number of injuries in his career, Cook has put up four consecutive 1000-yard seasons between 2018-2022. Although he is soon to turn 28, he is coming off a season where he rushed for 1,184 yards. Impressively, 842 of those came after contact. Cook also caught 39 passes last year. This marked the fifth consecutive year where he has caught 30+ balls. As such, he is still one of football’s most productive running backs.
Breece Hall looked good during the Jets’ recent OTAs, and was even seen making cuts. However, the Jets plan to bring him back from his rehab slowly. There is a very good chance that Hall misses preseason. If that is the case, he will not be ready to carry a full load straight out the gate.
The Jets’ options behind Hall are full of question marks. Michael Carter is coming off a disappointing sophomore campaign where he rushed for just 3.5 yards a carry. UDFA Zonovan Knight started strong but faltered down the stretch and Israel Abanikanda is an unproven fifth-round rookie.
The Jets brought in Aaron Rodgers to make a playoff push and adding talent is something that should always be explored when pushing all your chips into the middle of the table.
It is also worth noting that Nathaniel Hackett and Rodgers know a thing or two about good running back tandems having worked with Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon on the Green Bay Packers.
Furthermore, signing Cook would prevent him from potentially signing with an AFC East rival.
Dalvin Cook's last TD for the Vikings was a crucial play in the largest comeback in NFL history.pic.twitter.com/PX6LXkzCTP
— Janik Eckardt (@JanikEckardt) June 8, 2023
Cons
28 may not be old for most of us. However, for a running back like Cook, the clock is ticking. The explosive running back suffered a torn ACL in his rookie year and he has also missed time in four of the last five seasons. 2022 was a healthy year for Cook, but that was, unfortunately, the anomaly in his career.
Based on his productivity, there are going to be numerous teams interested in his services. With interest comes cost. While Cook is not going to get Christian McCaffrey money, he will probably fetch more than the Jets can feasibly afford. New York still needs to restructure the contract of Aaron Rodgers and sign star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to a new contract. They also could do with re-signing Kwon Alexander and keeping a pot ready in case a good free safety becomes available.
Would signing Cook to a $10 million+ contract make financial sense for the Jets? Would it be a logical use of resources? Those are big questions that Joe Douglas will need answering. However, on the surface, signing Cook might just be a bit too luxurious.
It is also worth considering that Hall looked to be on his way to stardom before tearing his ACL last year. In his final three and a half games, he had 351 rushing yards and four touchdowns. His yards per carry was a healthy 5.8 before he went down. The plan is for Hall to be the bell-cow of this offense and introducing Cook to the mix could cause complications for development.
Breece Hall 👀 pic.twitter.com/GiYanebDB0
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) June 6, 2023
Conclusion: Dalvin Cook to Jets Makes Sense Depending on Price
It all comes down to cost for the Jets. If Cook is going to get $10 million or more, it is unlikely to be the Jets. But, the idea of Cook taking hand-offs from Rodgers while Hall works his way back to full health is certainly an intriguing proposition. The idea of a Hall-Cook tandem is very appealing for a team looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
If the price is right, this could be a deal worth making.
Main Photo: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
