Miami Dolphins no longer viewed as top landing spot for a Dalvin Cook trade

Looking to cut costs, the Minnesota Vikings parted with two vested veterans in Adam Thielen and Eric Kendricks. Ever since the start of the purge, speculation has pointed to four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook being the next to go.

These rumors have gone all offseason and seemed to heighten leading up to the NFL Draft. The expectation was that if the Vikings did move on from Cook, it would likely occur during draft weekend, with the team being able to utilize the draft capital received from a potential Cook trade.

Only, a trade never came to fruition, and one of the top teams linked to a Cook trade, the Miami Dolphins, selected running back Devon Achane with the 84th overall pick, a selection that likely could have been used to land the Miami, Florida native from Minnesota instead.

Yet, even after the draft concluded, speculation suggested the Dolphins could still be targeting Cook via trade, with one report even going so far as to suggest he could be had for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

Only, now another source from NFL insider Albert Breer suggests the Dolphins may no longer be circling the waters for Cook. Breer believes Achane’s selection takes Miami out of the running, preferring to give their new tailback every opportunity to earn an immediate role, mixing in with Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson.

Trading Cook before June 1 allows the Vikings to save $7.9 million in 2023, but it also comes with a dead cap charge of $6.2 million without a contract adjustment. Of course, if the Vikings really don’t want Cook on the team, possibly so they can move forward with Alexander Mattison, Kene Nwangwu, and Ty Chandler in the backfield, releasing Cook penalizes the team by $8.2 million while offering a savings of just $5.9M.

Another alternative is waiting until June 1, when the Vikings can move on from Cook without being impacted so much financially. Waiting until June 1 offers a cap savings of $11M and just $3.1M in penalties. Basically, the time for a Cook trade isn’t right now, it’s in June if a trade happens at all.

Potential Dalvin Cook landing spots post-NFL Draft

So, if the Vikings are dead-set on removing Cook’s salary from their 2023 salary cap, who are the other teams that could step to the plate?

A few teams come to mind.

New England Patriots: While coach Bill Belichick prefers to have a stable of backs he can rotate through, having an excellent rusher/receiver like Cook could give the Patriots offense a much-needed boost. Yet, the Patriots aren’t exactly known for placing a high value on running backs either.

Baltimore Ravens: Now that the Ravens have a bit more cap space with Lamar Jackson’s contract situation resolved, could they add more pieces to the offense? Former second-round pick J.K. Dobbins has proven plenty capable, but this is the Ravens we’re talking about. They had the seventh-most rushing attempts last year, and having Cook on hand would only help keep everyone’s legs fresh.

Dallas Cowboys: It seems unlikely that in the same year when Tony Pollard gets a starting opportunity, the Cowboys would quickly bring in a potential replacement with Cook. Especially after drafting Deuce Vaughn to create a heartwarming moment in Dallas. But if the Cowboys are serious about placing a higher emphasis on establishing the ground game, they’ll need more than one proven back.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: If Cook is fantasizing about playing in his home state of Florida again, perhaps Tampa Bay would be a wise alternative to Miami. The Buccaneers have a clear need to improve what was a league-worst rushing attack, and second-year-pro Rachaad White will need a partner in crime. Cook could quickly help show White the ropes while leaving enough room for both players to receive opportunities. The Bucs may prefer to stick with White in the long run, but adding Cook now gives them a ‘good problem’ to have with two capable backs.

Arizona Cardinals: Another team that could afford to invest more into their backfield is the Cardinals, who finished with the 22nd-ranked rushing attack in 2022. James Conner is great in short-yardage situations and near the goal line, which are areas that Cook may not be suited for. The two working in tandem would restore the ground-and-pound attack in Arizona.

Los Angeles Rams: After finishing 27th in rushing yards, the Rams can’t be thrilled with their ground game. Having tons of needs likely prevented them from investing too heavily into a backfield led by Cam Akers, but the Rams, possibly more than anyone, still need to find another capable runner. Perhaps that’s rookie sixth-round pick Zach Evans, but counting on a rookie may not be ideal for coach Sean McVay as he looks to wipe the terrible taste of a losing season out of his mouth.