Patriots 'Reallocating' Attention, Money to RB Dalvin Cook?

Despite the New England Patriots history of not paying market-setting money to running backs, they are now favorites to sign Dalvin Cook.

It didn't take long for the narrative surrounding the New England Patriots to change following DeAndre Hopkins' decision to sign with the Tennessee Titans. Almost immediately following the reports of Hopkins spurning the Patriots, updated betting odds from DraftKings showed New England as the new favorite to sign free-agent running back Dalvin Cook. 

I know what you're thinking, "here we go again." But this isn't the first connection between the Patriots and Cook, as the two have been mentioned as potential suitors for almost a month. Yet now, with Hopkins off the table, if the Patriots are still in the market for another weapon to add offensively, they could turn their attention to Cook. 

This a sentiment that even NFL insider Adam Schefter echoed this week on ESPN's Get Up!.

“Let’s see if they take some of this money that could have been earmarked for DeAndre Hopkins and try to reallocate it to a player like Dalvin Cook,” Schefter said.

The Patriots still have plenty of salary cap space to sign a star like Cook, yet as we've seen recently with Hopkins, they don't seem committed to doing so. Before the contract extensions handed out to receiver DeVante Parker and linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley, the Patriots had an estimated $13 million in cap space.

On the surface, it doesn't seem to make much sense why the Patriots would want Cook after a breakout season from Rhamondre Stevenson. The former Oklahoma Sooner broke the 1,000-yard rushing benchmark last season as the bell-cow back in New England and - "Lunatic Lateral" aside - performed without many mistakes.

Another reason that'd make the Cook pursuit head-scratching is the financial aspect. While the Patriots can afford him, do they want to pay a running back who is 27, going on 28 in a few weeks? 

Judging from history, the answer seems to be "no," especially when you include that New England will eventually have to consider paying Stevenson. But that isn't how Vegas sees it, and we'll have to wait and see what coach Bill Belichick wants to do.

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