Dalvin Cook's Release Underscores Jets' Front Office Failings
The 2023 NFL season has been a disaster for pretty much the New York Jets' entire organization.
Whether it was a rash of injuries, ineffective play, or free-agent signings that didn't make an impact, almost everything the Jets tried has blown up in their faces. As it turns out, the offseason moves aimed at ending the playoff drought have been unsuccessful.
Arguably, their worst offseason mistake has just walked out the door.
New York agreeing to part ways with Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook is the latest failed offseason move made by general manager Joe Douglas. Cook tallied just 214 yards on 67 carries while not scoring a touchdown through 15 games played for the 10-loss Jets.
His longest run all season went for 14 yards.
No one blamed the Jets for signing the four-time Pro Bowler following his release by the Minnesota Vikings in June. The prevailing sentiment was that the one-year, $7 million cap hit would be tolerable with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and a talented defense filled with gamechangers.
The issue at hand for New York was that it seemed every free agent signing in the offseason either didn't play or didn't play well enough.
Rodgers' entrance to the team lasted four plays in Week 1. Instead of trying to double down by using Cook's services more with second-year running back Breece Hall, the Jets' offense tried too hard to make up for the quarterback's loss and limited Cook's touches.
Essentially, after Rodgers went down, the Jets decided that Cook's services weren't going to be required on a team that was fighting to stay relevant.
New York didn't have to keep Cook on the roster until the final week of the season though. When the trade deadline rolled around, Gang Green's 4-3 mark suggested the team could go in one of two directions — acquire reinforcements to make a playoff push or unload some of the underused veterans like Cook.
Instead of shipping those players off in exchange for draft capital though, the Jets and general manager Joe Douglas must have decided that there would be a role for the running back moving forward.
What did that role entail? 28 carries and just over 100 yards rushing.
Douglas's lack of aggressiveness during the trade deadline is a bigger reason for the Jets sub-.500 win percentage this season more than anything else.
Having to part ways with a free agent signing from the offseason is just the latest reminder that 2023 hasn't been very good to Douglas or his plan to build a contender in Florham Park.
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