Former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook signed a one-year deal worth up to $8.6 million with the New York Jets, according to NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Jets haven’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Chris Ivory in 2015, which is why the team desperately needed to sign Cook.
Cook, who turned 28 on August 10, was released on June 8 after four straight Pro Bowl seasons with the Vikings. He didn’t need to be recruited to the Jets by quarterback Aaron Rodgers since Rodgers’ resume speaks for itself.
“He doesn’t have to recruit; his game recruits itself,” Cook said, via ESPN. “Aaron is Aaron. If you don’t want to be part of something like that, I don’t know what you want in football.”
One of the best players in the NFL, Cook ran for 1,173 yards last season and scored eight rushing touchdowns on 264 carries. The Miami product was attracted to the Jets because of a win-now roster and the chance to win a Super Bowl.
“Obviously, when you dig deep and look into the roster, all the pieces are put together,” Cook said.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Dalvin Cook & New York Jets Updates
Cook has rushed for 5,993 yards in the NFL and scored 47 rushing touchdowns. The Jets, who acquired Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers, are expected to compete for the Super Bowl this season and adding Cook will only make their offense even more explosive.
While Cook rushed for 1,173 yards in 2022 with the Vikings, his per-carry average was a career-low 4.4. He led the NFL with 62 carries for a loss or no gain and only 34.5% of his carries gained a positive total of yards over expectation, per Next Gen Stats, the second-lowest rate among running backs with at least 200 carries in 2022.
It will be interesting to see how Cook plays with the Jets, who went 7-10 in 2022. With Rodgers leading the offense, New York should finish with more than seven wins. The NFL legend threw for 3,695 yards and 26 touchdowns last season while completing 64.6% of his passes.
NFL NEWS & RUMORS: Dalvin Cook & New York Jets Updates
A four-time MVP, Rodgers is once again following in the footsteps of Brett Favre, who played for the Jets in 2008 after a legendary run with the Packers.
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