Minnesota Vikings waive All-Pro running back Dalvin Cook
The Minnesota Vikings waived running back Dalvin Cook, and the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos are leading candidates to sign him as a free agent.
The Vikings waived the four-time All-Pro linebacker on Friday to free up $9 million in cap space. Cook has been the subject of trade rumors over the past month, but the Vikings have been unable to find a suitable trade partner.
The Vikings went 13-4 last season, with only two other NFL teams winning more games. Cook rushed for at least 1,100 yards for the fourth straight year.
The Vikings earned the third seed in the NFC playoffs, but were upset by the sixth-seeded New York Giants in the NFC Wild Card round.
Cook battles chronic shoulder injury
The Vikings drafted Cook out of Florida State University with a second-round pick in 2017. He turns 28 in August and should make $11 million this season with a cap hit of $14.1 million.
By cutting Cook after June 1, the Vikings will save $9 million in much-needed salary cap space and $5.1 million in dead cap space. Cook will still receive $2 million guaranteed from the Vikings.
Durability is an issue for Cook. He played in 17 games in 2022, the first time in his six years with the Vikings that he didn't miss a game due to injury.
In 2017, Cook lost his ACL after playing just four games during his rookie season. In recent seasons, Cook suffered a chronic shoulder injury due to multiple separations and wore a special harness and protective gear. He underwent surgery in the offseason to repair the injury that was bothering him.
Cook rushed for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns in 17 games last season. He also had 39 catches for 295 yards and two touchdown catches.
Cook averaged 4.4 yards per carry on 264 carries in 2022, but he didn't gain a yard or throw an interception for a loss on 62 pass attempts, which was tops in the NFL.
In six seasons with the Vikings, Cook appeared in 73 games. He ran 1,282 times for 5,993 yards and 47 touchdowns. He averages 4.7 yards per carry for his career.
Cook has contributed to the Vikings' passing attack over the past six seasons, averaging 8.3 yards per catch. In 73 games, he caught 221 passes for 1,794 yards and five receiving touchdowns.
Vikings promote Alexander Mattison to starter
Alexander Mattison, a third-round draft pick out of Boise State, has been a capable backup since his rookie season in 2019. The Vikings wouldn't have cut Cook if they didn't believe Mattison was a solid replacement. When Cook was sidelined in previous seasons, Mattison served as the backup starter in Cook's place.
In 59 games, Mattison averaged 4.1 yards per carry. He threw for 1,670 yards and 11 touchdowns over the past four seasons while also catching 70 passes for 526 yards and three touchdowns.
Mattison has another two seasons of $6.35 million guaranteed on his contract. He will receive a base salary of $1.1 million in 2023, plus a $1.25 million signing bonus and a $50,000 workout bonus. In 2024, Mattison will receive a base salary of $3.3 million, in addition to a signing bonus of $1.25 million.
The Vikings have three other running backs on the roster vying for backup roles, including a rookie. Ty Chandler, a fifth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of North Carolina, is the leading contender for the No. 2 RB spot on the roster. Chandler had just six carries for 20 yards in his rookie season.
Kene Nwangwu is also on the team. The fourth-round pick out of Iowa State has seen limited action the past two seasons. He had 22 carries for 75 yards in two seasons with the Vikings.
The Vikings selected UAB's Dewayne McBride in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Dolphins and Broncos target Cook
There are several teams looking to improve the current backcourt situation, but not every team has the space to sign Cook. The Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos are the most likely landing spots for Cook.
The Dolphins were involved in Cook offseason trade rumors but were unable to negotiate a deal.
The Dolphins are averaging 99.2 rushing yards per game, making them the seventh-worst rushing attack in the NFL in 2022. They currently have three veterans in training camp, including Raheem Mostert, Myles Gaskin and Jeff Wilson Jr. They also used their third-round pick to draft rookie Devon Achane out of Texas A&M.
"Overall, they're very happy with the way they're training, very happy with the competitive camaraderie they have," Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said.
The Dolphins have a +2200 chance to win the Super Bowl as they are the ninth-ranked team on the DraftKings NFL Futures Committee.
The Broncos are trying to build a strong offense around quarterback Russell Wilson in his first season under new head coach Sean Payton.
The Broncos lost starting running back Javonte Williams to ACL and LCL injuries in Week 4 last season. Williams is back this season, but running backs typically take longer to regain their explosiveness after reconstructive knee surgery. The Broncos also have veteran Samaje Perine on their roster.
The Broncos have a +4000 chance to win the Super Bowl and are in the middle of the pack on the futures board.
Other teams are also interested in Cook, including the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers.
Vikings’ views on the future market
In early February, after the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles to win Super Bowl 57, oddsmakers gave the Vikings opening odds of +4500 to win the next Super Bowl.
Following the 2023 NFL Draft, the Vikings Super Bowl 58 odds have changed slightly at +3500 at DraftKings.
Cutting Cook doesn't change the future market, and the Vikings currently still have a +3500 chance of winning the Super Bowl.
The Vikings, the seventh-highest team in the standings, have a +1500 chance to win the NFC Championship.
The Vikings won the NFC North title last season, but the Detroit Lions are the favorite to win the division in 2023. The Green Bay Packers are no longer the team to beat in the NFC North after Aaron Rodgers and the Packers parted ways after the quarterback was traded to the New York Jets.
The Lions are +130 to win the NFC North, followed by the Vikings (+250), Chicago Bears (+400) and Packers (+500).
The Vikings exceeded expectations last season with 13 wins. Oddsmakers project the Vikings to be around .500 this season, with a projected win total of 8.5 wins/loss. DraftKings currently has odds of -130 for bets under 8.5 games to win and +110 for bets over 8.5 games to win.
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