A very talented running back with connections to the Arizona Cardinals’ coaching staff is going to hit the market very soon. The Minnesota Vikings have informed running back Dalvin Cook he will be released, which will save the team $9 million salary cap space. The report comes from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Cardinals’ running back room has James Conner and a bunch of unproven players. They want to run the ball a lot this coming season.
Cook, who has rushed for 5,993 yards in six season and for at least 1,100 yards in each of the last four seasons and been named to the Pro Bowl four straight years, knows some of the Cardinals’ coached.
Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing coached Minnesota’s receivers and quarterbacks during Cook’s first three seasons with the Vikings.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon was the Vikings’ defensive backs coach in 2017, Cook’s rookie year.
The Cardinals have the cap space ($26.6 million) to bring in Cook. He would give them a very good one-two punch at running back.
He would certainly be an upgrade and would make the Cardinals better.
Would the addition make sense, considering the way they are building a roster this season? Perhaps not.
They have the cap space to use but it could probably be better used next offseason with the unused cap rolling over. They could go after a player of Cook’s caliber next offseason.
Should they pursue him?
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