Report: Vikings parting with RB Dalvin Cook
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022, in Minneapolis. The Cowboys won 40-3. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
(KSTP) – The offseason of change continues for the Minnesota Vikings.
Thursday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the team informed longtime running back Dalvin Cook that he’s being released on Friday if they’re unable to complete a trade Thursday.
Vikings are expected to try to trade four-time Pro-Bowl RB Dalvin Cook one more time today and if they are unable to, they would plan to process his official release Friday, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 8, 2023
Releasing Cook would save Minnesota around $9 million in salary cap space, per Spotrac.
It comes after the team already parted ways with several other well-known Vikings this offseason, including longtime stars in linebacker Eric Kendricks and hometown hero Adam Thielen.
Cook, who will turn 28 in August, has spent his entire career with Minnesota since the Vikings drafted him out of Florida State with the 41st pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
During his time as a Viking, Cook was one of the most productive running backs in the league, averaging 4.7 yards per run and over 82 rushing yards per game, and also averaged 24.6 receiving yards per game across 73 games. In total, despite battling injuries regularly, Cook totaled 5,993 yards rushing and 47 touchdowns with the Vikings on 1,282 carries, plus another 1,794 receiving yards and five touchdown catches on 221 receptions.
He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last four seasons.
However, with limited salary cap space for the team and other capable running backs on the roster — including Alexander Mattison, the presumed starter now, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu and rookie DeWayne McBride — the Vikings had been expected to part with Cook for weeks.