Getty A proposed trade from Pro Football Network's Jason Katz would add a 4x Pro Bowl running back to the Broncos in an exchange involving Courtland Sutton
Capitalizing on the recent Courtland Sutton trade rumors that sprouted from NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry after his week at the 2023 NFL Combine, Pro Football Network’s Jason Katz came up with a mock trade proposal that would satisfy the Vikings’ need for a receiver if/when Minnesota cuts Adam Thielen and the Broncos’ running back depth issues with Javonte Williams’ health uncertain following an ACL tear that occurred during Week 4 of the 2022 season in a 32-23 loss to the Raiders on October 2.
The proposal would swap Sutton with Vikings running back Dalvin Cook and involve a third-round pick and several fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh-round selections. “I can’t imagine the Broncos would be willing to move Javonte Williams,” Katz prefaced in a piece titled ‘Potential Dalvin Cook Trade Partners: Broncos, Bills, and Bears Should Target the Star RB.’
“However, with the Vikings likely to cut Adam Thielen, perhaps a deal involving a third-round pick, a couple of Day 3 picks, and Courtland Sutton would make sense,” Katz wrote.
Broncos “Make the Most Sense” to Trade for Dalvin Cook
Katz isn’t in the camp that any team needs to make a move for Cook, since here is an out-clause in his deal the Vikings could opt for this offseason — making him a potentially gettable free agent without the need to cede assets. Still, he sees the Broncos going all in being a viable strategy given the personnel moves they’ve made the past two offseasons, putting them in the running for Cook.
“The Broncos do make the most sense because if things don’t work out this year, they are going to completely blow it up in 2024 anyway,” Katz wrote. “They might as well put the best offense possible on the field and see what happens.”
Katz sees Denver as being in a tough spot regardless in 2023. “The Denver Broncos are in a very tough spot from an organizational standpoint,” he prefaced.
“They’ve essentially mortgaged everything to go all in with Russell Wilson and Sean Payton.”
Dalvin Cook Not Expected to Leave Vikings in 2023
Katz wouldn’t commit to Cook sticking with the Vikings beyond the 2023 season, but the Pro Football Network analyst did predict that Cook would stay put this offseason. “2024 is a whole different story,” he prefaced before saying, “I do think 2023 is almost certainly Cook’s last year with the Vikings. But ultimately, despite Cook’s advancing age and declining play, I would be very surprised if he wasn’t on the Vikings for the 2023 season.”
Katz is skeptical of the root of any Cook rumors, though. “It’s difficult to sift through what rumors have legs and what is just smoke,” Katz wrote. “There’s no question some reports out there are designed to try and generate interest in a player and aren’t anything tangible.”
The Cook rumors are, in a way, chaotic Katz notes. “We have no known way of knowing if that’s what’s happening with the Cook trade rumors.”
Still, Katz notes that it makes sense for why they are taking place. “The Vikings have a realistic out on his contract right now,” he wrote. “They can cut him with just a $6.2 million dead cap hit. Of course, that’s unlikely to happen. But if other teams are interested in trading for Cook, the Vikings would be wise to listen.”