Dalvin Cook Reportedly Has Multiple Offers, Dolphins Speculated To Be Among Bidders
Dalvin Cook appears to be letting his market cook — pun intended — patiently waiting to see what franchise puts eight men in the box to corral the Pro Bowl tailback.
According to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero, who covered the Minnesota Vikings as a beat writer and radio host for multiple seasons before joining the league’s network, Cook is weighing “multiple offers” with around half a dozen teams expressing interest.
He also speculated that Cook’s salary range is $7-8 million.
COULD COOK COMMAND $7-8 MILLION?
A contract offer in that proposed range would make Cook the 10th-highest paid back in the NFL in 2023, putting him behind Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard, who all were given the franchise tag — which is worth slightly less than $10.1 million — this offseason, and ahead of Arizona’s James Conner, who averages $7 million a season.
Pelissero, appearing on "The Rich Eisen Show," specifically mentioned the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins, which happens to be the South Florida native’s hometown team.
That means three AFC East teams seemingly are in the running for the Pro Bowl tailback, who has rushed for more than 1,100 yards four straight seasons, and has scored 52 touchdowns.
Cook, who will turn 28 this season, rushed for 1,173 yards on 264 attempts last season and scored eight rushing touchdowns. He also caught 39 passes for 295 yards and had two touchdown receptions.
“He’s going to command a significant contract. I don’t think he’s taking a big discount to go back to Miami, or any place else,” said Pelissero, who had Cook join him on "The Rich Eisen Show" earlier this month.
COOK EXPECTED TO BE PATIENT
“He’s in control here because he’s a rare player who transcends the market. Guys like this don’t become available,” Pelissero said about Cook, who was released by the Minnesota Vikings earlier this month in a move designed to clear cap space.
“If I had to guess, I’d say we probably have an answer at the start of training camp,” Pelissero continued. “But he very well could take this to August and take the mileage off his body.”
Clearly, no deal is imminent, especially since the start of training camp is roughly a month away. But it seems as if Cook has a standing offer from Miami, which has roughly $12 million in cap space to use once cornerback Cam Smith, the team’s lone unsigned draft pick, signs his deal.
The Dolphins feature the wide-zone run scheme Cook had some of his best seasons playing in, and Cook viewed Miami as a team ready to compete for a Super Bowl title.
This offseason Miami re-signed all four of the team's tailbacks from last season, but head coach Mike McDaniel hinted that retaining Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed wouldn't prevent the team from "adding good players," which he pointed out was the top priority of the team's executives.
Cook is training in South Florida with Nick Hicks, who happens to train Tua Tagovailoa, and a number of Dolphins players during this summer break. It's possible that Cook could spend the next few weeks working out with Tagovailoa and numerous Dolphins players.
It’s also possible that Cook could wait until teams begin training camp and discover what they have, or don’t have, at tailback. It’s also possible that a training camp injury to a starting tailback could sweeten the offers. At this point neither side seems to be in a rush to get a deal done.
