The Dalvin Cook market includes one well-known suitor, but a host of other teams are believed to be monitoring this situation. The Dolphins appear to have competition from two of their division rivals.
The Jets and Patriots have shown interest in the Pro Bowl running back. New England is intrigued by adding Cook to a Rhamondre Stevenson-fronted backfield, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com said recently (via MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian). While the Jets are expecting Breece Hall to return by Week 1, Fowler adds they are interested in the ex-Viking as well.
This is not the first time the Patriots have come up in connection with Cook. A report last week threw New England into the mix as a possible destination for the six-year Minnesota starter. The Dolphins have long been connected to Cook and have spoken with the Miami native. Cook has called the Dolphins a perfect fit for his skillset, and the team is believed to have made an offer.
Rumblings of a Cook-Patriots partnership comes not long after the AFC East club hosted DeAndre Hopkins on a free agency visit. The Pats made Hopkins an offer and, after a DeVante Parker extension that does not appear especially lucrative, the team remains in play to add the former All-Pro wide receiver. While these are separate markets, the two high-profile free agents have planned to discuss the possibility of ending up on the same team.
The Pats are interested in adding a back to pair with Stevenson, per Fowler. The team let its previous Stevenson complement, Damien Harris, walk for barely the league minimum. Harris signed a one-year, $1.77MM Bills deal that came with just $1MM guaranteed. Cook will cost more than that, though a deal that pays him close to the $10.4MM he was due with the Vikings should not be expected. As the Pats’ offense struggled last season, Stevenson broke through for 1,461 scrimmage yards. The team hired Bill O’Brien to clean up a mess this offseason, and Fowler adds Bill Belichick senses the urgency to improve on offense.
Stephenson and Cook would qualify as a top-shelf 1-2 punch, but Hall would make for a high-end backfield tandem partner as well. Cook called the Dolphins a perfect fit but brought up the Jets as a team he has seen linked to him as well. New York has made a more concerted effort to improve on offense, trading for Aaron Rodgers and adding a host of his ex-Packer teammates. Mecole Hardman also joined the Jets, who now have a clear window to load up their roster around Rodgers. Hall may be a candidate for the active/PUP list in training camp, but nothing has emerged to indicate the 2022 second-round pick will not be ready for the regular season.
The Jets carry third-year back Michael Carter, who as of now looks to be the favorite to back up Hall this season, and gave UDFA Zonovan Knight some work last year. The team re-signed and then waived Ty Johnson, however. The Patriots made a similar move in their backfield, signing ex-Jet James Robinson before cutting him before their offseason program ended. Injury concerns led to the once-productive Jaguar’s Foxborough exit. Behind Stevenson, the Pats roster 2022 draftees Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris. Those two combined for just 28 carries as rookies.
Cook, who is going into his age-28 season, has said he would like to sign with a contending team that has a steady role available. The Dolphins may check both boxes, as Cook could seemingly overtake the Raheem Mostert–Jeff Wilson duo for touches. Stevenson and Hall would not be as easy to leapfrog. The Patriots have recently created cap space as well, extending Parker and linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley. The Jets are likely to lose some 2023 cap space, with Rodgers’ contract needing a second offseason restructure. Such a move would raise his 2023 cap number from its current $1.2MM place.
Although the Dolphins are a ways down the road with Cook, he has clearly not been enamored by his hometown team’s initial proposal. As the running back market might clear up via resolutions for franchise tag recipients Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard at the July 17 extension deadline, Cook may be keen on waiting longer before committing.
Feels like the Patriots efforts would be tied to their want for D-Hop too. Hoping they entice both of them to going there.
Cook’s rushing average against the Bills and Dolphins has been rather impressive so it only makes sense that the Jets and Patriots consider him as an option.
Cook was very good a lot in Minnesota but sometimes he went down too easily. I dont think he’s realistic in his expectations in terms of carries nor pay. I would guess that he won’t get more than $6m which he probably could’ve gotten in Minnesota and in a more dynamic offense with excellent other offensive weapons.