Trade rumors have surrounded Dalvin Cook for several years now. Should the Minnesota Vikings move on from the four-time Pro Bowl running back, it will be during the draft.
The main reason for this is due to the Vikings’ small amount of draft capital, for which they only hold five selections during the three-day event. It makes zero sense for the Vikings to try and trade Cook later this offseason, where they’d be receiving value that does not help them compete in 2023.
For a team that isn’t in a position to land one of the top running backs or either would prefer to add a proven talent, trading for Cook could be the best alternative.
In Minnesota’s case, they’d be able to save $7.9 million on their 2023 salary cap by trading Cook before June 1. This would come with a dead cap charge of $6.2 million, barring a contract adjustment.
Should teams continue to balk at the acquisition cost of the 27-year-old, releasing Cook would leave behind an $8.2 million dead cap charge, offering a savings of $5.9 million. But teams trying to compete for the playoffs typically don’t release a high-caliber starter this late in the offseason.
No matter what, the Vikings likely already feel they’re in decent hands with Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu, and Ty Chandler on the RB depth chart, but none of these players have proven to be as consistent as Cook.
Related: 2023 NFL mock draft Day 2: Will Levis, Hendon Hooker come off the board early
Teams looking for a boost to their backfield know what Cook offers. He’s equally as good rushing the ball as he is as a receiver and can still make defenders miss with the best of them. Add in his great vision to see the field and make proper cuts, and it’s not a stretch to suggest Cook is still among the best at his position today.
Now finally healthy after dealing with shoulder issues in recent years, there’s a belief that Cook could be in for a bounce-back season. Not like he didn’t have over 1,300 yards from scrimmage in each of the past four years, but perhaps the Florida native can do more.
Surely teams are interested in adding Cook to their roster. But at what cost? They know Cook has a $14 million cap number in 2023, and younger, more inexpensive running backs can be had in the draft. Still, that doesn’t mean front offices aren’t trying to call about the 5-foot-10, 210-pound weapon.
But which teams are the best fits for Dalvin Cook? We examine that and more in our draft trade scenarios below.
Dalvin Cook draft trade scenarios are endless
Chances are, the Vikings will be looking for several ways to accumulate more draft picks throughout draft weekend. This could come in various forms, whether it’s moving down from the 87th pick, trading pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, or even parting with one of the offensive stars, with Dalvin Cook possibly on the trade block. Or maybe we will see all three.
In this case, we thought it would be valuable to take a look at which draft day trade scenarios may make sense for the Vikings when it comes to trading Cook. Here are just a few scenarios that could play out on Day 2, when Rounds 2 and 3 take place.
- Minnesota Vikings trade: Dalvin Cook
- Miami Dolphins trade: 84th overall pick
Our first scenario sends Cook back home to Miami, where he’d immediately star in coach Mike McDaniel’s offense, which is a perfect fit for the running back’s skill set. The Dolphins have a collection of talented multi-purpose backs, but none are capable of dominating on all three downs like Cook.
Minnesota would be adding another third-round pick, providing valuable draft capital should they try and climb up the board, or simply add more immediate contributors for 2023. Meanwhile, Miami gets their bellcow back, who likely won’t ever want to leave his home state. While the Dolphins parting with one of their four draft picks may not seem ideal, how often can you add a Pro Bowl talent with the 84th pick?
Related: 2023 Miami Dolphins mock draft heading into Day 2: Another blockbuster trade
- Minnesota Vikings trade: Dalvin Cook, 87th overall pick
- Cincinnati Bengals trade: 60th overall pick, 131st overall pick, 2024 conditional fifth-round pick
Our second scenario lands the Bengals another bellcow back since Joe Mixon’s future in Cincinnati may also be unclear. But Cook would quickly become one of Joe Burrow‘s best friends, making him look even better by taking short passes for long gains while also making magic as a rusher. Or, even if the Bengals want to hold onto Mixon for another year, Cook would be an excellent option on passing downs, with Mixon being the bruising rusher in short-yardage/goal-line situations.
Here we’d see the Vikings pick up more draft capital, both for 2023 and 2024, while carving out more spending space for Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson re-signings later this offseason.
- Minnesota Vikings trade: Dalvin Cook, 119th overall pick
- Los Angeles Rams trade: 69th overall pick, 191st overall pick
Yes, the Rams finally have draft picks again, but that also comes with plenty of holes to fill. Chances are, the Rams won’t bother with trying to add more proven Pro Bowl talent via trade. Those days are likely done. But, knowing how much L.A. struggled to establish the ground game in recent years, a solution like Cook could send them back to their freewheeling ways.
He’d immediately become a featured weapon in the Rams’ offense, playing second fiddle to Cooper Kupp and no one else. For just the price of the 69th overall pick? This seems too good to be true, yet the Rams may be able to find better value at running back simply by standing pat.