Getty Running back Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings runs the ball for a touchdown during a game against the Buffalo Bills in November 2022.
The Buffalo Bills could have one more big move coming for their running back room, a new report suggests.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported on April 16 that the Minnesota Vikings appear to be at a crossroads with running back Dalvin Cook, who could ultimately be cut or traded before the start of next season. Even though the Bills have already made some upgrades to their running game this offseason, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport speculated that Buffalo could be one of the top contenders to land Cook if he ends up on the open market.
Bills Advised to Look into Dalvin Cook
Davenport noted that the Bills might be an odd fit for the Vikings running back, especially since they already rounded out their running game by signing former New England Patriots power back Damien Harris and that Cook’s younger brother, James Cook, is expected to make a jump in his second season in Buffalo.
But Davenport added that the chance to add a star running back might be too good an opportunity for the Bills to pass up.
“But neither Harris nor James Cook has Dalvin’s talent or NFL resume,” he wrote. “The younger Cook and Harris have combined for exactly zero 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Dalvin has at least 1,100 yards on the ground in each of the past four years.
“The Bills have one goal in 2023: to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl. Cook helps their chances of doing that.”
Cook had an efficient year in 2022, rushing for 1,173 yards with eight touchdowns. He had one of his biggest games of the season against the Bills, rushing 14 times for 119 yards, including an 81-yard touchdown run that sparked a 17-point comeback and pushed the Vikings to a 33-30 overtime win.
I’m told 4x Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook “absolutely loves Minnesota and expects to finish his career as a Hall of Famer and in Minnesota’s Ring of Honor,” source says.
Cook averages 107 yards per game in his career only behind #49ers All-Pro RB Christian McCaffrey of…
The Bills face some uncertainty in their backfield after incumbent starter Devin Singletary left in free agency to join the Houston Texans. Harris is expected to take a share of the remaining carries, but the former Patriots back said he knows he needs to earn his spot in the backfield.
“I know that everything that I get in this organization, I’m going to have to earn,” Harris said, via the Buffalo News. “From right now until the end. I’m going to have to earn everything I get. I’m going to have to earn every carry that I get. I’m going to have to earn every opportunity to step on the field and show the world that I can do my job and play for this organization.”
Dalvin Cook, Vikings Remain in Flux
As Florio reported, the Vikings have flexibility in Cook’s future as the balance of his $10.4 million salary does not become fully guaranteed until the start of the regular season. The Vikings have already invested in fellow running back Alexander Mattison, who signed a two-year, $7-million deal to stay with the team.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah noted that the future is not certain with Cook.
“Conversations are always ongoing with him,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’re trying to be solutions-oriented, always trying to put the roster together within our constraints.”
There have been a number of other teams connected to Cook, with Davenport suggesting that the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos could also be potential suitors if he were to become available.