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Kubiak luvs him some DC...
#1
Gary Kubiak envisions big role for Dalvin Cook in Vikings offenseRunning back's holdout doesn't concern coordinator Kubiak.

The Vikings wrap up a virtual offseason program this week without running back Dalvin Cook, who announced his intent to hold out until he gets a new contract. But there’s no question offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is in Cook’s corner.
Kubiak, a former Broncos head coach and coordinator, thought of Super Bowl MVP running back Terrell Davis when asked about Cook and the trend of NFL front offices devaluing the position.
“You’re probably talking to the wrong guy there,” Kubiak said Wednesday in his first Zoom video conference of the offseason program. “I love running backs. I’ve had some really good ones in my day. Got a couple world championship rings because of one I’m thinking of in my head right now.”
Cook’s holdout will continue into training camp without a deal, according to a league source. But because of changes in the new collective bargaining agreement, Cook would need to report to camp on time to earn a fourth credited season and qualify for unrestricted free agency next spring.
Even if the holdout continues, Kubiak said, he’s not concerned with Cook’s readiness for the opener, scheduled for Sept. 13 against the Packers. The Vikings offense is returning most starters, and Cook had 1,654 yards from scrimmage in Kubiak’s system last season.
“Dalvin could teach class. He’s that bright and that smart of a football player,” Kubiak said. “It’s part of the business, and guys like him, professionals like him take care of themselves. You understand they’re going to go through things like this and we all want the end product, so to speak, and go back to work, but those things take time.”
Cook turns 25 in August and, when healthy, he’s one of the NFL’s most elusive backs. There are durability concerns: He’s played only 29 of 48 regular-season games since they drafted him in the second round in 2017.
Coach Mike Zimmer and Kubiak think alike on the value of Cook and the run game, which Kubiak said he has impressed on newcomers during recent offensive meetings. The Vikings ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing attempts last season and won a playoff game with Cook in a lead role, which Kubiak wants to maintain.
“We walk into a room and tell our guys we’re committed to running the football and being a physical team,” he said. “I work for a head coach that talks that same way. It’s really just a mind-set and saying hey, we’re going to be good at doing this and we’re not going to find ways not to run the ball.”
Kubiak added he’s eager to coach in person. First-round receiver Justin Jefferson is among the 15 draft picks the Vikings will try to incorporate quickly at training camp, tentatively scheduled to open in late July.
Special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf said he was happy the front office retained veteran kicker Dan Bailey and punter/holder Britton Colquitt with new contracts this offseason. But Maalouf will have his hands full when everyone returns to prepare inexperienced pros to contribute.
“The good thing is we’ve shown them our drills, our expectations and what it’s supposed to look like,” he said. “But there’s not much time. That’s one thing I keep stressing to these guys is when we get together, everything has to be on point.”
Kubiak said NFL guidelines could make a return during the coronavirus pandemic “very complicated” with “a lot of effort on everybody’s part,” but he’s optimistic after meetings with the team’s medical staff. The Vikings recently reopened their Eagan headquarters to limited staff members — not players or coaches.
Because of competitive balance concerns, the league has said training camps can’t begin until all 32 teams are allowed to by local guidelines.
“When we sit in these meetings and we listen to some of these bright men talk about what we have to do, I would say it gets me excited,” Kubiak said. “You feel like we can get this done."
https://www.startribune.com/kubiak-envis...571325202/
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#2
They will pay him if they have to. Mad Dog Mattison is a good back, but Cook can be great. Boone has made strides and Abdullah is decent depth. I think we are going to be ok at the position no matter how it shakes out
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#3
Vikings’ Gary Kubiak on Dalvin Cook possibly holding out: ‘That’s part of the business’It’s been a week since star running back Dalvin Cook reportedly vowed to hold out until the Vikings give him “a reasonable” contract extension. 

Not that offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak seems too concerned. 
During a 20-minute chat with reporters Wednesday, not only did Kubiak seem confident a deal would get done at some point, he expressed very little doubt that Cook would be able to pick up right where he left off whenever players return to the field. 
“He’s got as good a grasp at what we do and how we go about it,” Kubiak said. “He could teach class (on our system) because he’s that bright and that smart of a football player.” 
Asked specifically about a possible Cook contract extension, Kubiak deferred to general manager Rick Spielman, noting how sometimes it takes time for these things to work themselves out. 
“That’s part of the business,” Kubiak said. “We all understand that. Those guys will do their job. We have to stay focused on our job as a football team moving forward.” 
Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Cook is slotted to make a base salary of $1.3 million this fall. In other words, the 24-year-old will be massively underpaid after emerging as one of the best running backs in football last season. 
To say Cook was the heartbeat of the run-heavy scheme last season is putting it lightly. He rushed for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns, and caught 53 passes for 519 yards, 
Cook is looking for a deal that would make his pay closer to that of other top running backs, which would be in the neighborhood of $15 million per season. 
For reference, Carolina running back Christian McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64 million extension in couple of months ago and Dallas’ Ezekiel Elliott signed a six-year, $90 million extension at the beginning of last season following a highly publicized holdout. 
That’s a lot of money to commit to a player some would argue is replaceable because of his position. As the NFL has shifted toward more pass-heavy schemes over the past decade — Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is now the face of the league — the value of running backs has significantly decreased. 
To some people at least. 
“You’re probably talking to the wrong guy there,” Kubiak said. “I love running backs. I’ve had some really good ones in my day. I’ve got a couple of world championship rings because of one I’m thinking of in my head right now.” 
That would be Terrell Davis, who along with quarterback John Elway, led the Denver Broncos to a pair of Super Bowl titles in the late 1990s. 
That said, with the Vikings already up against the salary cap, signing Cook to a contract extension could leave them hamstrung in the future. There’s also concern that Cook has had his fair share of injury issues, including a tore anterior cruciate ligament as a rookie. 
What if he gets hurt again? To that point, Cook acknowledged some of the risks in April, and offered a rebuttal. 
“What if the guy doesn’t get hurt and he goes out there and helps contribute to the Super Bowl and he goes out there and balls out?” he said. “It’s all about what the person believes in … and I firmly think the Vikings believe in me.” 
No matter what happens moving forward, Kubiak reaffirmed his commitment to the Vikings running the ball regardless of who is in the backfield. It’s that same commitment that has allowed him to have success throughout his 20-plus years in the league. 
“We believe in running the football,” Kubiak said. “Obviously Dalvin did a hell of a job doing that last season, along with (Alexander) Mattison; Ameer (Abdullah) and (Mike) Boone helped us out, as well. That’s a big part of the game. You need everybody to win. You guys know how much I think of a good back.”
https://www.twincities.com/2020/06/17/ga...-business/

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#4
He's not going anywhere. Bank on that.
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#5
To be fair, who doesn't love Dalvin Cook? 
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#6
Quote: @Hawkvike25 said:
To be fair, who doesn't love Dalvin Cook? 
Exactly,  its just a matter of how much luvin we can afford.
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