What Vikings Releasing RB Dalvin Cook Means for Lions

Detroit Lions have one less opponent in the NFC North to worry about.

The Detroit Lions are overwhelming favorites to win the NFC North this upcoming season. 

One of the teams in the division that had a significant amount of success has made a roster decision to save money on the salary cap. 

Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook, 27, was going to take up $14.1 million in cap space had he remained on the roster. 

Based on the decision of Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to release Cook post-June 1, Detroit's NFC North rival ended up saving $9 million in cap space. 

"I hold Dalvin in the highest regard and am grateful for his contributions on and off the field. Dalvin is a tough, dynamic player and a respected leader by his teammates, which was evident by his multiple seasons as a team captain," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said in a released statement. "As a finalist for the 2022 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, Dalvin's approach to the game and his commitment to sportsmanship is clearly respected across the league. We appreciate Dalvin's positivity, energy and leadership and will be pulling for him in the future."

Last season, the Vikings were able to rally and win several games late. Their heroics ended in the postseason, when they were defeated by the New York Giants, 31-24, at U.S. Bank Stadium. 

The Vikings also made the decision this offseason to move on from Adam Thielen and traded pass rusher Za’Darius Smith.

Naturally, it is not expected the Vikigns will again win 13 games in 2023. 

With Detroit upgrading their secondary in free agency and adding Jahmyr Gibbs in the draft, the Vikings have likely fallen behind the Packers and Bears as teams that are a threat to the Lions chances of winning the division. 

Detroit won the last meeting against the Vikings, 34-23, at Ford Field.