Getty Free agent running back Dalvin Cook with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.
Dalvin Cook rumors have mainly swirled around two teams since his release from the Minnesota Vikings: the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.
The four-time Pro Bowl running back has taken his time weighing his options, however, and the longer he takes, the more Boomer Esiason believes he’s not coming to New York. The former NFL and NYJ quarterback is now a long-standing NYC radio host with WFAN, and he voiced his opinion on the Cook rumors on an episode of “Boomer & Gio” on July 10.
“I know exactly what’s going on,” Esiason told his partner Gregg Giannotti after the co-host brought up the possibility of Cook to the Jets. “So, Dalvin Cook has a $7 million a year contract from the Minnesota Vikings right now. I don’t want to put words into his mouth, but he hasn’t accepted it and I don’t think he really wants to go back there.”
“I think that he really wants to play for the Miami Dolphins,” the ex-NFL star continued, “and I believe that [his agent] is trying to play the Dolphins off the Jets just like [Drew Rosenhaus] did with Tyreek Hill… Tyreek Hill was never coming to the Jets, we all know that. He was going to go to Miami, and just to get the money up, you get these agents like Drew Rosenhaus trying to do the best that they possibly can for their clients.”
Boomer Esiason Believes Jets Interested in Dalvin Cook at Right Price, Not Interested in Bidding War With Dolphins
“I do believe that the Jets would love to have Dalvin Cook,” Esiason added later in the WFAN discussion. “But they’re not going to get into a bidding war with the Miami Dolphins. And the Miami Dolphins can also use the leverage of the no [Florida] state tax aspect to it.”
This led to a bit of a long back-and-forth between the two co-hosts, but the main points from Esiason were the following:
- If no one offers Cook anything near $7 million, he could return to Minnesota (although Esiason does not believe this to be the RB’s preference).
- Esiason thinks Cook and his agent are trying to use the Jets to leverage more money out of Miami.
- Jets would likely sign Cook at a “certain number” if he wants to play for them.
- Esiason doesn’t believe Dolphins will pay $7 million either but does think they’d match the Jets — minus New Jersey state tax.
After Giannotti pressed him on whether Cook has any shot of signing with Gang Green, Esiason concluded: “Well the Jets are not going to offer [the] $7 million a year that he can get from Minnesota, I can tell you that.”
“And if [the Jets] come anywhere close to a Miami offer, he’s going to go to Miami,” Giannotti followed up, to which Esiason agreed very confidently.
“So, sounds like to me that this is a leverage spot,” Giannotti reiterated, “the Jets are being leveraged.” Esiason simply replied: “That’s exactly what’s happening.”
History Does Side With Boomer Esiason in Jets, Dalvin Cook Speculation
Obviously, it’s hard to know whether Esiason will end up being correct in the case of Cook. The former Vikings ball carrier does seem very interested in the idea of playing in Miami — his hometown — if you’ve followed his social media activity since his release.
Having said that, Aaron Rodgers and the legitimate chance of a Super Bowl run does change the equation a bit for the Jets.
History is on the side of the Dolphins, however. Even if players are viewing the Green & White differently with Rodgers at the helm, money is generally the deciding factor in situations like this and due to state laws, it’s always a challenge for New York teams when they try and compete with a Florida-based organization — especially when it comes to older athletes looking for one final payday.
Of course, with several veteran running backs still available on the open market, there’s also a question of whether or not the Jets should target Cook — but that’s a different debate altogether.