Dalvin Cook was among football’s top running backs a year ago. Understandably, he wants to be paid as such. Of course, with the NFL’s hard salary cap restricting teams from spending freely, that’s easier said than done. And as dominant as Cook was during his breakout 2019, his injury-plagued first two seasons raise questions about his longevity at a notoriously punishing position.
Cook had previously threatened to hold out of Vikings training camp, citing his desire for a new contract (he’ll earn a modest $1.3 million in the final year of his rookie deal), but apparently the FSU alum has had a change of heart. Coach Mike Zimmer, the recent recipient of a three-year contract extension, confirmed Saturday that Cook will arrive on time when Minnesota opens camp at the TCO Performance Center in Eagan next week.
How can Zimmer be sure of Cook’s attendance? Because, as noted by Stacey Dales of NFL Network, Cook told him he was coming.
This doesn’t necessarily mean the Vikings have put the saga to bed—the last we heard, Cook was eyeing an annual salary in the range of $15 million, which would be on par with recent deals signed by Todd Gurley and Ezekiel Elliott. All things considered, Cook is probably making the right decision. Holdouts used to be a dime a dozen in the NFL, but the league’s new CBA makes training-camp no-shows cost-prohibitive. Under old rules, teams would often waive fines incurred for missed practices (provided the sides eventually put pen to paper on a new deal), but those debts won’t be forgiven as easily going forward. According to Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports, Cook would be on the hook $50,000 for every day he skips and could also risk losing an accrued season toward free agency. In other words, unless Cooks REALLY wanted to send a message a la Le’Veon Bell in 2018, a holdout wouldn’t make much financial sense.
Paying top dollar for running backs is always risky business (think the Rams regret rolling out the red carpet for Gurley?), but at least Cook is relatively young for his position at just 23. The Vikings’ concerning lack of backfield depth (cement-footed Alexander Mattison is in line for handcuff responsibilities this year) could also work in Cook’s favor.
Cook’s contract tango with the Vikings will certainly be a plotline worth following, but he’s just one of countless names occupying what should be a phenomenal free-agent running-back crop in 2021.
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