Getty Free agent running back Dalvin Cook with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
Dalvin Cook isn’t giving up on the idea of joining his younger brother on the Buffalo Bills.
The Pro Bowl running back remains a free agent as training camps open, revealing in an interview on July 24 that he has not yet gotten an offer from the two AFC East rivals rumored to be interested in him. Cook said in an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show that neither the Miami Dolphins nor New York Jets have made him a concrete offer, and hinted that he would be open to the thought of joining the Bills instead.
Bills Remain in the Picture
Cook said that it was “not out of the picture” for him to join the Bills and play alongside his brother, second-year running back James Cook. Dalvin Cook said it was “exciting” to think about the possibility of playing with James, but did not want to be “the one being in the way” of his younger brother’s potential.
𝗥𝗨𝗠𝗢𝗥:
The #Dolphins offered free agent RB Dalvin Cook a 2 year/$8 million dollar contract offer a couple weeks ago.
This offer was reportedly viewed as an “unserious” offer and Cook and his camp never even considered it.
Many insiders expect James Cook to take over as lead running back after former No. 1 Devin Singletary left the Bills in free agency to join the Houston Texans. Cook is coming off a rookie season in which he rushed for 507 yards and two touchdowns, taking on an increasing share of the carries as the season went on.
Dalvin Cook had a strong season for the Vikings in 2022, rushing for 1,173 yards with eight touchdowns and adding another 39 receptions for 295 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Bills Still in the Mix for Dalvin Cook?
While the tight salary cap situation in Buffalo may make it difficult for them to sign Dalvin Cook, some insiders believe their odds could increase the longer he remains a free agent. After reports that Cook rejected an offer from the Dolphins, Zack Dimmitt of SI.com’s Bills Central suggested that the Bills could remain a contender to sign him.
“The market for free-agent running back Dalvin Cook?” Dimmitt wrote. “Now that he’s apparently said ‘no’ to the Dolphins offer he remains in play for any bidder. Is that the Jets? The Patriots? The Bills?”
Cook said he is carefully weighing his options and will be deliberate about a decision on where the play next.
“I’ve been having this conversation with [agent Zac Hiller] every day and it’s just been like, ‘What’s the best situation? Should I sign now?’ We really don’t know the best option, but I feel like when the best option comes on the table, I’m gonna take it as soon as it comes on the table,” Cook said, via Bleacher Report.
The Bills suffered a big loss to their backfield this week when Nyheim Hines was injured in a jet ski accident, leaving him with a torn ACL that will keep him out for the entire season. The Bills made a quick move to add depth, signing former Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears running back Darrynton Evans, but they will still be left to fill the void from Hines’s injury.
After joining the team at last season’s trade deadline, Hines became the team’s top return specialist and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in the team’s Week 18 win over the New England Patriots.
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Dalvin Cook Makes Eye-Opening Statement on Potentially Joining Bills