The New England Patriots have suddenly emerged as betting favorites to land four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
There’s definitely a need at running back after the Patriots released veteran James Robinson back in June. Rhamondre Stevenson is currently the do-everything running back with Ty Montgomery expected to handle the third-down duties. Outside of Stevenson and Montgomery, the Patriots are down to second-year running backs Kevin Harris and Pierre Strong Jr.
So depth is a bit of a concern when it comes to finding a player that can help out on the early downs. Stevenson will see a lot of carries, but the hope is that the Patriots can keep him healthy for an entire season. However, it’ll be difficult to do that if he’s being run into the ground.
Adding a dynamic player like Cook would solve that problem easily.
Where will Dalvin Cook play in 2023? There's a new favorite 👀
Patriots +150
Dolphins +200
Jets +400
Broncos +1200
Cowboys +1500
Bills +1500
Commanders +1500
Bears +1800
Giants +2000
Raiders +2000
Chiefs +3000
Eagles +3000
Browns +3500
Bucs +3500
Bengals +4000via @DKSportsbook
— Jaime Eisner (@JaimeEisner) July 17, 2023
The Patriots missed out on signing All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to a deal. That means they could be in the market for adding another playmaker at the skilled positions.
Cook can pound out the ground yardage, while also standing in as an extra receiver. Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien could really open things up with a player of that caliber in the offense.
Whether the Patriots are actually considering turning that pipe dream into a reality or not remains to be seen.
