Vikings To Open Talks With Cook

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DALVIN COOKRB, MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Dalvin Cook rushed nine times for 18 yards in the Vikings' Divisional Round loss to the 49ers.Cook "added" six receptions for eight yards on an afternoon where the Vikings' screen game was as dysfunctional as its rushing attack. The 49ers' front simply overwhelmed the Vikings' line. It was the worst possible ending to what was otherwise Cook's long-expected "arrival" campaign. He was one of only three backs to reach 1,000 rushing/500 receiving in 2019. A usage monster, Cook did wear down badly as the season progressed, averaging just 3.32 yards per carry over his final six games after that number was 5.28 for contests 1-8. Cook also required frequent trips to the training table down the stretch as he battled a pair of lingering shoulder issues. Cook is headed into the final year of his rookie deal. It has the makings of yet another contract flashpoint at the running back position. Cook's injury history will undoubtedly be at the forefront of both sides' minds. Working in Cook's favor will be the Vikings' absolute obsession with establishing the run.
Big time fade. He'll be better suited in a rotation. He's not a bell cow back...

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@purplefaithful said:
Linval, XR, EG...

Big names, big $$ - past their primes...

Can they play roles next year here? Sure they can, not at current $ though. See if they can extend KC to a team friendlier deal too. 

Damn, this is an important off-season. I'm on board with FSU - double down on OL and fill D holes where you can afterwards. 

The Vikings are in a tough spot. We've tended to be a team that holds onto veterans longer where as teams like the Patriots or Eagles have tended to get rid of veterans too soon rather than too late. I think that Joseph has clearly taken a step back & maybe we can patch NT with Stephen or Johnson if we upgrade at 3T. Rhodes rebounded some in the playoffs. He's not worth his contract right now, though he could benefit from injuries and uncertainty at the other CB spots. Griffen has had a nice bounce back year & probably has the best case to stick around, though maybe Odenigbo has done enough to earn a bigger role. This is also complicated, because I believe that Weatherly is a FA too. It will be interesting to see if they try to extend the D's current window or let go of some big name vets and try to reload on the fly. It's hard either way, because we are still in cap Hell. I'd also expect Reiff on offense to be gone.

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Love Cook, but he has too many injuries and at times has issues holding onto the ball.  I would like to keep him for reasonable $$. He will also need to be in a rb rotation with Mattison and someone else like Abdullah as his body can’t hold up for 16 games as a lead back, as others have noted.  Kubiaks have proven you can have a great run offense with their scheme using mid-lower drafted RBs.

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I think there's a large % of the fanbase that believes Dalvin can be replaced with platooning.

Plug and play in the Kubiak/Dennison universe. Dalvin is a top 4 RB in the league and he's probably going to get paid more than will make some comfortable.

He's a difference maker in more games than not. I don't think platooning is going to replace how me makes d's scheme for his presence - which helps everyone else on offense.

He needs more help up-front. 

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@Tyr said:

@purplefaithful said:
Linval, XR, EG...

Big names, big $$ - past their primes...

Can they play roles next year here? Sure they can, not at current $ though. See if they can extend KC to a team friendlier deal too. 

Damn, this is an important off-season. I'm on board with FSU - double down on OL and fill D holes where you can afterwards. 

The Vikings are in a tough spot. We've tended to be a team that holds onto veterans longer where as teams like the Patriots or Eagles have tended to get rid of veterans too soon rather than too late. I think that Joseph has clearly taken a step back & maybe we can patch NT with Stephen or Johnson if we upgrade at 3T. Rhodes rebounded some in the playoffs. He's not worth his contract right now, though he could benefit from injuries and uncertainty at the other CB spots. Griffen has had a nice bounce back year & probably has the best case to stick around, though maybe Odenigbo has done enough to earn a bigger role. This is also complicated, because I believe that Weatherly is a FA too. It will be interesting to see if they try to extend the D's current window or let go of some big name vets and try to reload on the fly. It's hard either way, because we are still in cap Hell. I'd also expect Reiff on offense to be gone.

I agree, EG did have a nice bounce-back year. The Saints game was one of his best, if not his best in 19. 

It will be interesting to watch what the offers are for him. He may want another really, big contract.

And the Vikings may opt to just go younger on the DL next year - believing they're some guys ready to make a big, next step. 

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its Odenigbo time at RE. I would offer EG an additional 2years  to kick inside to 3T for cap relief next year or cut.  Elflein needs to be a swing player or cut, Reiff same type plan as EG, to left G, or cut. Rashod Hill to RT and Oneill to LT.  Harris you let walk, you cannot pay 2 safeties top money.  XR big pay cut extension or cut, Waynes let walk, cannot pay him its time for Hughes and Alexander to earn it. , Big goon, cap friendly extension or cut, its Jaleel and Watts time

With the  way Zimmer schemes He needs to take a team with a few nobodies and make the playoffs, if he does that next year i would want him extended. 

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@purplefaithful said:
I think there's a large % of the fanbase that believes Dalvin can be replaced with platooning.

Plug and play in the Kubiak/Dennison universe. Dalvin is a top 4 RB in the league and he's probably going to get paid more than will make some comfortable.

He's a difference maker in more games than not. I don't think platooning is going to replace how me makes d's scheme for his presence - which helps everyone else on offense.

He needs more help up-front. 

Well he wont get it if we are paying AT, Diggs, and Cousins big money.  It just doesnt make sense to pay everybody except the OL which is the one piece that could help the most.

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DO NOT SPEND  BIG $ to RB! 

You took Mattison for a reason.  Insurance this year, and heir apparent.  
Let him be heir apparent.  


Invest draft capital/FA  in QB, DE, WR, & DT.   

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@purplefaithful said:
I think there's a large % of the fanbase that believes Dalvin can be replaced with platooning.

Plug and play in the Kubiak/Dennison universe. Dalvin is a top 4 RB in the league and he's probably going to get paid more than will make some comfortable.

He's a difference maker in more games than not. I don't think platooning is going to replace how me makes d's scheme for his presence - which helps everyone else on offense.

He needs more help up-front. 

I sense this too. People, Dalvin is ELITE. If you don't want to pay him that's fine and justifiable, but don't expect anywhere near the same production if we just have Mattison, Boone, spare parts.

Everyone said AP was making too much money too... then he got suspended a year and we rolled out Asiata and McKinnon, who stunk out the joint.
I see both sides of the pay/don't pay Dalvin argument, I really do. It's a tough call. But if Rick decides not to pay him, then you're looking at drafting another RB pretty early I think.
With the season on the line, Mattison got one touch today. That tells me all I need to know about how the coaches feel about Dalvin's talent level vs. the others.

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@pattersaur said:

@purplefaithful said:
I think there's a large % of the fanbase that believes Dalvin can be replaced with platooning.

Plug and play in the Kubiak/Dennison universe. Dalvin is a top 4 RB in the league and he's probably going to get paid more than will make some comfortable.

He's a difference maker in more games than not. I don't think platooning is going to replace how me makes d's scheme for his presence - which helps everyone else on offense.

He needs more help up-front. 

I sense this too. People, Dalvin is ELITE. If you don't want to pay him that's fine and justifiable, but don't expect anywhere near the same production if we just have Mattison, Boone, spare parts.

Everyone said AP was making too much money too... then he got suspended a year and we rolled out Asiata and McKinnon, who stunk out the joint.
I see both sides of the pay/don't pay Dalvin argument, I really do. It's a tough call. But if Rick decides not to pay him, then you're looking at drafting another RB pretty early I think.
With the season on the line, Mattison got one touch today. That tells me all I need to know about how the coaches feel about Dalvin's talent level vs. the others.

I get the uneasiness about extending Cook. He has durability concerns, has fumbled a bit too much lately, doesn't quite have the long speed like Peterson had, Kubiak has had success with system backs, running back is a devalued position for some fans, backs tend to have shorter careers, & the Vikings are in cap Hell, so it's hard to justify giving any player a big extension right now. Ideally, I'd love to keep him for 2-3 more years with reasonable guarantees, but it sounds like his market value will be much bigger. The Vikings have their work cut out for them this off-season.