Minnesota Vikings: Dalvin Cook contract talks could be tricky
The Minnesota Vikings reportedly will ‘explore’ contract extension talks with Dalvin Cook this offseason but those discussions could be quite tricky.
It’s hard to overstate how big of a factor running back Dalvin Cook plays in the Minnesota Vikings offense. That was on full display in the Wild Card win over Saints as he was the heart of the offense, registering 94 rush yards with two scores and finishing second on the team in receiving with three catches for 36 yards.
Cook was absolutely phenomenal in the 2019 regular season as well, even with some nagging injuries at the end of the year. He finished the campaign with 250 carries for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games while also notching 53 receptions for 519 yards. When on the field, he’s clearly established himself as one of the best running backs in the game.
As the Florida State product is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2020, it only stands to reason that the Vikings would look to keep him around. And that appears to be the case as, prior to their Divisional Round matchup against San Francisco, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Minnesota and Cook will explore a contract extension this offseason:
From @NFLGameDay: #Vikings star RB Dalvin Cook is one of the NFL's biggest bargains. That could change this offseason, as contract extension talks loom. pic.twitter.com/gn9CwNkZFw
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 11, 2020
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In terms of talent and production when on the field, Cook deserves to get paid, far more so than the just over $1 million he’s currently making per year. Having said that, contract extension talks with the running back are going to be anything but simple.
The Vikings currently have one of the most crowded cap situations in the league. Per Over the Cap, they are already $3 million over the salary cap for the 2020 season. Sure, they could save close to $30 million by cutting Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph and Harrison Smith but those are key cogs on the defense.
Beyond that, the Vikings still have a number of big contracts on the books for 2021, when an extension for Cook would fully kick in. They will have 10 players making more than $10 million against the cap as of right now and that’s with Kirk Cousins coming off the books. Without a quarterback signed for 2021, they already have $173 million committed to their top 51 players.
Fitting an extension for Dalvin Cook into that seems quite difficult. Again, there are players that could be cut to save money on the cap but the Vikings would be sacrificing elsewhere on the roster to make that happen. While Cook might not demand the five-year, $90 million deal Ezekiel Elliott signed, he’s not going to be locked up for cheap.
Making matters even more complicated is Cook’s bouts with injury. He played just four games as a rookie, was limited to 11 games in 2018 and, though he played 14 games in 2019, he was banged up for a substantial portion of the year. How comfortable can Minnesota be paying top-dollar for a running back with injury concerns?
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In all likelihood, the Vikings will make moves that will then make an extension for Cook possible. You have to bet on the talent of a player that’s been so critical for this offense. At the same time, though, finding the right moves to make it possible and the right number for the running back won’t be easy as this will be one of the more precarious negotiations the front office has had to maneuver to date.