Cook isn’t as valuable to the Vikings offense as you may think

Like I said earlier, there’s no denying Cook is one of the most talented backs in the league. But talent alone doesn’t earn you big bucks, the amount of value you bring to an offense does.

By most measures, the Vikings offense saw little drop off without Cook in the lineup last season. In the Vikings zone run scheme, backup back Alexander Mattison was essentially just as effective as Cook was when given the opportunity.

Mattison had a better yards per carry average, 4.6 as opposed to Cook’s 4.5. He also generated 3.2 of those yards after contact, compared to Cook’s 3.0. And to top it off, Mattison gained a first down on 19% of his carries while Cook gained a first down on 22% of his.

There isn’t much of a drop off at all with Cook and Mattison. Cook’s only category where he is definitively better in is receiving; Mattison only hauled in 10 catches last season.

Saving the cap and rolling with Mattison as the feature back wouldn’t be a terrible plan for the Vikings considering the value both backs bring to the offense is pretty similar.