The final day of the NFL Draft is here, and there is a decent chance that the Minnesota Vikings trade star running back Dalvin Cook at some point between Rounds 4 and 7. With 102 already selected, let’s take a look at how the first three rounds of the NFL Draft impacted the Dalvin Cook trade market.
Will We See A Dalvin Cook Trade on Day 3 of NFL Draft?
The Vikings Roster
First and foremost, we need to look at the Minnesota Vikings roster itself to see if the team is in any position to lose Dalvin Cook. The running back currently carries a $14.1 million cap hit and the team can clear $7.89 million in cap space with a trade, so they probably want to trade Dalvin Cook, but they won’t do it if they feel they don’t have adequate replacements.
The team already signed Alexander Mattison to a long-term deal, but they’d probably want to secure a better backup before trading Cook. So far, the Vikings have yet to invest in a running back, but there are still plenty of good runners on the board.
Minnesota currently holds the 119th overall selection in the NFL Draft. If they use that pick on somebody like Texas running back Roschon Johnson or Pittsburgh’s Israel Abanikanda, then a Dalvin Cook trade is all but inevitable. Obviously, we can’t know what the Vikings will do until they’re on the clock, but we can take a look around the league and see which teams might be interested in the four-time Pro Bowler.
Dalvin Cook Trade Destinations
Entering the NFL Draft, the most likely trade destinations for Dalvin Cook were the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and the Kansas City Chiefs. While a Wild Card team could appear, these three teams are all-in and desperately need some more help in the backfield.
We can probably eliminate the Miami Dolphins from the Dalvin Cook trade sweepstakes. The team selected speedster Devon Achane in the third round, solidifying their backfield and effectively ensuring they will not trade for Cook. The Bills and the Chiefs, however, are very much in play.
The Bills spent the early portion of the NFL Draft bolstering their offense, adding pass-catching tight end Dalton Kincaid and running back O’Cyrus Torrence into the mix. This implies they aren’t satisfied with the current state of affairs around Josh Allen, and they don’t have a fourth-round pick to add a running back.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, are in a similar situation. After going defense in the first round, the team added wide receiver Rashee Rice and offensive tackle Wanya Morris to the roster, and while they do have a fourth-round pick, it’s not until the 134th selection. It their ideal running back is off the board, then they should be interested in a Dalvin Cook trade.
Due to his age and contract, it’s highly unlikely the Vikings receive anything more than a pair of Day 3 picks in a Dalvin Cook trade. However, that’s still a move the team should make, as they are strapped for cash and Alexander Mattison is capable of being an adequate starter.
Main Photo: Matt Krohn – USA Today Sports
