New York Jets are Ready to Cook After Signing Ex-Viking
The New York Jets and Dalvin Cook finally have a deal.
After weeks of speculation that included a very public courtship of one another, the Jets signed the former Minnesota Vikings tailback to a one-year, $8.6 million contract.
The Jets had an interest in signing the former Pro Bowler with second-year back Breece Hall recovering from ACL surgery he had last season. Hall is still on the physically unable-to-perform list; while the Jets are optimistic that Hall could be back for Week 1, the reality it is might be too much to expect at this point.
Cook, who is also coming off shoulder surgery in February brings fresh legs to camp.
Four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook is signing with the #Jets on a one-year deal, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 14, 2023
Cook always wanted to land in New York. Now he teams up with former NFC North rival Aaron Rodgers, with all eyes on a Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/6wlXhYPXIc
Cook does come with his own baggage — he was accused of physical and emotional abuse of an ex-girlfriend, a case he has filed a defamation suit in.
However, he is one of the game’s most gifted athletes.
In five-plus seasons with the Vikings, Cook averaged 4.7 yards per carry. His best season came in 2020 where he ran for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns.
And let us not forget that the Jets can thank Aaron Rodgers for this. Rodgers took a $35 million pay cut for moves such as this one.
How does this Impact the Roster?
The big question is what happens to Michael Carter and/or Bam Knight? Someone is going to have to be expendable. The Jets have Cook, Hall, and rookie Isreal Abinakanda on the roster. They could keep Hall on injured reserve to start the year, but still, another roster move is going to have to be made.
Michael Carter made interesting comments after the Jets’ 27-0 win over Carolina on Saturday that the running back room is good enough and doesn’t need Cook. Could this mean Carter becomes the one who gets traded or cut? That is anyone’s guess at this point.
Michael Carter (@8kMike) called Dalvin Cook (@dalvincook) ‘probably one of the best college football running backs of all-time’ + said he’s ‘obviously a great player’ + but said the #Jets backfield feels like they’re great players too, ‘nothing but respect for 4 but we aren’t… pic.twitter.com/kMM0nsX9OV
— Paul Andrew Esden Jr (@BoyGreen25) August 13, 2023
Cook will likely make his Jets debut this week when the team hosts the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Florham Park.