The Vikings have all the leverage with Dalvin Cook
Whenever the Minnesota Vikings begin training camp, running back Dalvin Cook is going to be there.
Cook, 24, is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He’s scheduled to earn $2 million this season before hitting unrestricted free agency. Not surprisingly, Cook wants an extension before the 2020 campaign gets rolling, but Vikings general manager Rick Spielman doesn’t have much reason to give him one.
On Tuesday, insider Tom Pelissero explained why Minnesota shouldn’t be worried about a holdout. Per NFL.com:
“If Dalvin Cook does not report on the mandatory reporting date next month with his teammates, or at any point thereafter does not fulfill his contract for any material period of time, he would not accrue the fourth season he needs to become an unrestricted free agent next March. Instead, Cook would be a restricted free agent, meaning the Vikings could retain him with a first-round restricted tender worth between $4 [million] and $5 million instead of having to apply a franchise tag that would be worth roughly double that.”
While Cook is a terrific player, he has obstacles ahead. For starters, he missed 12 games of his rookie season with a torn ACL. Since then, the Florida State product has missed seven more games, calling his durability into question.
Minnesota also has a cap situation to monitor. This offseason, the Vikings were forced to watch a litany of stars leave including wide receiver Stefon Diggs (via trade), defensive tackle Linval Joseph, defensive end Everson Griffen and cornerbacks Xavier Rhodes, Mackensie Alexander and Trae Waynes. Even with all those departures, the Vikings have $33 million in projected cap room next year, according to Over The Cap.
Finally, Cook only has a single 1,000-yard season under his belt. He’s rushed for an average of 4.6 yards per carry and can catch the ball (93 receptions over last two seasons) but do those numbers outweigh the concern of paying a running back big money despite an injury history?
The reality is under the new CBA, Cook has little leverage for reasons Pelissero laid out above. Minnesota can simply allow Cook to play out his rookie deal and then shoals it want, slap the franchise tag on him for an additional year of control. At that juncture, Spielman can either trade Cook, let him play 2021 on the tag or attempt to negotiate a long-term deal.
In short: don’t expect Cook to sign for legitimate money in the near future.
