{"id":1565426,"date":"2023-05-18T11:25:21","date_gmt":"2023-05-18T15:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1565426"},"modified":"2023-05-18T11:25:22","modified_gmt":"2023-05-18T15:25:22","slug":"silent-dalvin-cook-trade-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/silent-dalvin-cook-trade-market\/","title":{"rendered":"The Silent Dalvin Cook Trade Market is Confirmation that the Minnesota Vikings Fell for the NFL's Biggest Trap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If the Minnesota Vikings<\/a> had simply looked at the numbers and used sound logic, they could have avoided dealing with what was a completely avoidable problem. It didn\u2019t have to be this way with Dalvin Cook.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as training camp inches closer, a franchise that doesn\u2019t seem to have a firm grasp of where it\u2019s going has to figure out what to do with an expensive star. Unfortunately for the Vikings, they\u2019re learning the hard way that Cook might be more of a liability than an asset at this stage of his career.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dalvin Cook Dilemma in Minnesota\u00a0<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings looks on against the New York Giants | David Berding\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Coming off four consecutive Pro Bowl berths, Dalvin Cook is undoubtedly one of the best playmakers in the NFL. A hard-nosed runner with rock-solid receiving skills<\/a> and a knack for finding the end zone, the 27-year-old has racked up almost 8,000 yards from scrimmage and 52 total touchdowns since he entered the league as a second-round pick in 2017.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, Cook\u2019s high production level positioned him to become one of the league\u2019s highest-paid backs early in his career. The Vikings signed him to a five-year, $63 million extension in 2020, making him one of the top earners of all time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast forward to 2023, and that deal looks like a big mistake by the previous regime.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Cook has remained an effective all-around weapon, he\u2019s dealt with various injuries over the years \u2014something that plagued him in college, as well. Meanwhile, with Kirk Cousins commanding a hefty chunk of salary-cap space and superstar receiver Justin Jefferson in need of an extension<\/a>, the Vikings have had to cut costs elsewhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Cook carries a whopping $14 million cap hit for 2023, a trade would make sense. Yet despite plenty of speculation about a draft-day deal<\/a>, he remains a Viking \u2014 for now. Still, with the franchise in need of financial flexibility moving forward, something has to budge before the season begins.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Vikings foolishly put themselves in a hole by falling into the NFL\u2019s biggest trap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Update: "All signs point to" the #Vikings<\/a> most likely moving on from RB Dalvin Cook, per @diannaESPN pic.twitter.com\/UfJcVFH8sv<\/a><\/p>— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 11, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>