Getty Image / Stephen Maturen
Dalvin Cook was released by the Minnesota Vikings earlier this month and he still has yet to sign with a new team.
Reports indicate he wants to sign a deal close to the $10.4 million he was originally going to receive from Minnesota.
If that’s the case, then he could sign somewhere relatively soon, as that amount of money is rather close to the cost of the franchise tag.
However, during a press conference, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was asked about Dalvin Cook’s release. From the sounds of it, Cousins misses his former teammate.
According to Pro Football Talk, the veteran quarterback claims he’s “excited to see where [Cook] goes.” But shortly after that, Cousins claims he is “optimistically hoping maybe we get him back.”
Here is Kirk Cousins’ full statement on Dalvin Cook.
“I’m excited to see where he goes, I’ll always be pulling for him and I’m kind of optimistically hoping maybe we get him back. Who knows? Maybe there is an outside chance. We’ll see.”
Considering the Vikings just released Cook, it’s safe to say they’re a long shot in re-signing him back to the roster.
Regardless, I appreciate his wishful thinking. Moving on from Dalvin Cook didn’t make much sense anyway, as it’s not like the Vikings can really use the money saved at this point in the offseason.
Despite that, Minnesota has a plethora of running backs on the roster. Many believe Alexander Mattison will shine in this offense. Additionally, guys like Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, and DeWayne McBride offer stable depth.
With that said, the race to sign Dalvin Cook remains wide open.
Cook is due $2 million from Minnesota if he sits out the season. So, anybody looking to sign the veteran running back will probably have to offer anywhere between $5-$10 million to sign him.
But, based on Cousins’ hopes and desires, maybe we should consider Cook staying with the Vikings. Crazier things have happened in the NFL, right?