Proposed Trade Has Jets Giving up on Dalvin Cook, Sending to AFC Squad

Getty New York Jets running back Dalvin Cook trying to make a play during a game against the Denver Broncos.

The New York Jets could look to hit the eject button on a failed free agency experiment.

Bill Barnwell of ESPN created 15 trade proposals ahead of the deadline that a bevy of NFL teams should consider making.

New York Jets receive: a 2025 fifth round pick

Baltimore Ravens receive: veteran running back Dalvin Cook and a 2024 fourth round pick

Yes, you read that correctly. In this proposed deal, the Jets would have to give up “extra draft capital” to entice another team to take on his contract according to Barnwell.

Cook Experience Hasn’t Worked out According to Plan for the Jets

Barnwell says this trade between the Jets and the Ravens could help general manager Joe Douglas “clean up” one of his offseason mistakes.

Cook signed a one-year deal for $7 million to join Gang Green this offseason. He was considered a luxury add, but one that could provide some insurance for Breece Hall as he continued to recover from a torn ACL last season.

In theory, Cook was going to provide punch early in the season which would allow the Jets to ease Hall back into the lineup at their own pace.

The problem is the former Florida State product has not been effective when he’s been on the football field.

Cook is averaging 2.7 yards per carry so far this season. Barnwell went a step further explaining that Cook has averaged “minus-1.5 rush yards over expectation (RYOE)” which is the second lowest mark in the NFL.

Last week the Jets turned the keys of the backfield back over to Hall and Cook saw only 17 percent of the offensive snaps. Barnwell said that’s a sign that they’re phasing Cook out and now the veteran has “no real place” on the roster.

Cook’s contract is built with per-week roster bonuses that are due throughout the rest of the season. It is $262,000 weekly total that equates to $3.4 million at the end of the season. That structure means that Cook has “negative trade value” according to Barnwell which is why the Jets would essentially have to convince a team to take him as opposed to receiving a quality asset back in return.

Barnwell Advocated for a Jets Youth Movement in the Backfield

If the Jets move on from Cook, Barnwell said he’d like to see those reps go to some of the younger players on the roster.

The other two running backs on the 53-man roster are Michael Carter and rookie Israel Abanikanda.

Izzy has been a healthy scratch through every week of the 2023 season thus far.

Carter on the other hand has toted the rock five times for 31 yards averaging 6.2 yards per clip. He has also been involved in the passing game as well receiving 11 targets. Carter has caught nine receptions for 44 yards through the first five games of the 2023 campaign.

On paper it makes sense to go to some of the younger more effective backs, but we also have to consider how this would look for Douglas.

Trading away a free agent acquisition months after signing him for negative cents on the dollar would be admitting to a mistake and looking bad in the process. Ultimately fans don’t care about that, they just want to win games and have players on the field that can help that process. So far this year, Cook hasn’t been a positive contributing factor to the squad.