Glazer: Vikings 'Absolutely Love' Dalvin Cook Amid Contract Extension Rumors

I go back and forth on this...is he special? Absolutely? Huge gamble to pay him anywhere near what he supposedly wants. On top of that, we still don't know the impact the pandemic is going to have on the cap next year. Until that is clear, I don't do a deal. 

I keep going back to the Broncos trading a similarly talented RB in Clinton Portis. Did their running game go down the crapper afterwards? Hardly. Is Mattison as talented or more talented than just about every back the Broncos trotted out post-Portis? I'd say so, but I'm a huge Mattison fan. To me, Mattison has a bit more thump behind his pads, nearly as much wiggle, but not the top end speed. 

Ultimately, I think they sign him...I'm not sure that that decision is the best way to go...

It sounds like Derrick Henry got his deal done. I'm sure the numbers are going to make us all cringe

Hopefully Henry's contract reflects the one dimensionality of his game...

Titans, Derrick Henry reach four-year deal just before deadline
 According to multiple reports, Henry gets a four-year, $50 million deal with $25 million guaranteed. https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/07/15/titans-derrick-henry-reach-four-year-deal-just-before-deadline/

Derrick Henry’s new deal is a good sign for the Minnesota Vikings running back.Dalvin Cook has never been looking to force the Minnesota Vikings to give him some sort of record-breaking new contract. Cook just knows he’s one of the top running backs in the NFL right now and he wants to be paid more than the $1.3 million he’s scheduled to make this year.
Despite his incredible talent, there are still plenty of people who believe the Vikings should avoid giving their top running back a lucrative extension. But the “Don’t Pay Running Backs” fan club took a big hit on Wednesday when the Tennessee Titans decided to give Derrick Henry a new deal.
Henry and the Titans reportedly agreed to a four-year contract worth up to $50 million that also includes $25.5 million in guarantees. For those looking for some help with the math, that’s an average yearly salary of $12.5 million.
Dalvin Cook should be able to get his money from the Minnesota VikingsHeading into the 2020 season, the majority of teams around the league would likely select Cook to be their starting running back over Henry. With his ability to be a big-time threat as a receiver in addition to his rushing skills, the current Minnesota running back just allows an offense to do so much more than Henry.
So if the Tennessee running back is able to get a new deal that pays him $12.5 million per season, why can’t Cook get something similar?
What Henry was able to get from the Titans is right around the amount that Cook has been asking for from the Vikings. With his ability to be more versatile, some would argue that the Minnesota running back deserves a new contract that pays him even more than Henry.
Whatever the Vikings’ intentions are with Cook, Wednesday’s news still sends a message to those who believe teams shouldn’t pay running backs.
Squads like Minnesota and Tennessee who have essentially built their offenses around the talents of their top running back have set themselves up to really have no other choice than to cough up the cash.
With training camp currently scheduled to begin in about two weeks, will we see the Vikings become the next team to reward their top rusher with a lucrative extension sooner than later?
https://thevikingage.com/2020/07/15/dalvin-cook-cashing-minnesota-vikings-increased/

Damn...the longer they wait the worse it gets. Cook will obviously be slotted ahead of Henry. Vikings might have screwed up by not extending him sooner. 

Mike Zimmer on KFAN said he’s going to make #Vikings RB Dalvin Cook a captain “because of the things that he represents here and the way he’s gone about his business and worked.”

— Sean Borman (@SeanBormanNFL) July 27, 2020

I know we always hear how close Rick and Zimmer are. And I have no reason to question that.

But Zim just got extended and now he holds the proverbial hammer... and he's swingin' it by going to bat for his star player. Not exactly helping Rick and Brez with negotiations here, but there's a reason why players love Zim.

Zimmer on Cook’s holdout:

“I hope he gets as much [$] as he can but I also hope he’s playing for us. He is under contract with us so we’ll see where that all goes. I love the kid & he’s a terrific football player but he’s been a great asset to our team and locker room as well.”

— Sean Borman (@SeanBormanNFL) July 27, 2020

More context!

Just fuckin’ sign him! 

@"Kentis" said: Just fuckin’ sign him! 

@"medaille" said:

@"Kentis" said: Just fuckin’ sign him! 

How much money is too much money?

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said: at 13 million a year or more,  how much more does Cook help the O vs what we could get from Mattison?  We arent going to argue that he doesnt make the O better,  but how much better and is it worth the extra cap money,  especially on a guy with health concerns.

Mattison is a good looking back, but he's not on Cook's level. I know everyone knows that, but I think people underestimate just how much of a drop off there would be.

And Cook doesn't have "health concerns." He has an injury history. There's a difference. You would hope this might keep his cost down, but it rarely does. I think it's because FO's know that all backs suffer injuries and nobody can predict when, or to whom, they will happen. And they even out over time. It's just as likely that CMac misses games due to injury as it is Cook. In fact, the law of averages would probably favor Cook.