Getty Dalvin Cook #4 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday, January 2, that New York Jets and four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook have parted ways with one week left in the regular season — allowing Cook the chance to reunite with an old friend from the Minnesota Vikings.
Cook, frustrated with his role with the Jets out of the playoff hunt and opting to deploy younger players, has the chance to latch onto a playoff contender to chase a Super Bowl.
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, formerly the Vikings’ offensive coordinator in 2019, could have a role for him in his run-heavy scheme.
Cook thrived with Stefanski as his playcaller, tallying 1,135 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns along with 53 catches for 519 yards receiving. That season catapulted Cook into stardom after earning his first Pro Bowl nod. He made four consecutive appearances in the Pro Bowl from 2019 to 2022 before the Vikings released him last June.
Dalvin Cook an Ideal Signing for Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski
GettyFormer Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook reacting on the sideline of an NFL game.
After the Vikings’ released Cook, he signed a one-year, $5.8 million contract with the Jets as the final piece of a potentially lethal offense with Aaron Rodgers under center. But after Rodgers’ Achilles injury in Week 1, New York has struggled to stay competitive with an obsolete passing attack.
The Jets rank 30th in passing yards as defenses have disrupted a carousel of backup quarterbacks and focused their efforts on stopping the rush. New York’s ground game ranks 31st in attempts and 28th in yards behind an offensive line that ranks 31st in run-block win rate (68%).
Cook averaged a career-low 3.2 yards per carry behind the Jets line. He remains one of the most explosive players at the position, but his efficiency has plummeted in recent years — a reason the Vikings released him.
However, Stefanski could carve out a role for Cook with the Browns missing Nick Chubb, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2.
Cleveland has rolled with Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt, neither of whom is as explosive as Cook. Stefanski could scheme a handful of plays to Cook in the interim of him learning the offense, and at the very least, have him as an insurance policy if either back goes down.
Vikings Still Searching for Answers at RB
GettyQuarterback Kirk Cousins (right) of the Minnesota Vikings hands the ball off to running back Alexander Mattison (left).
The Vikings were correct in predicting Cook’s decline, but their answer to filling that void has not come to fruition.
The biggest addition wasn’t even at the running back position but at tight end. The team signed one of the best run-blockers in Josh Oliver to a three-year, $21 million contract in an attempt to bolster the running game.
Despite some improvements from the offensive front, Ty Chandler and Alexander Mattison haven’t consistently found gains on the ground. Through 17 weeks, the Vikings ranked exactly where they did at the end of last season — 28th in rushing attempts and 27th in yardage.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell‘s commitment to the running game has been questionable throughout his tenure. While he’s transformed the Vikings passing game, the running game has suffered and could benefit from either personnel improvements or better design.