Dalvin Cook to Cowboys: Why 4x Pro Bowl RB is perfect replacement for Ezekiel Elliot
Dalvin Cook was aggressively shopped around by the Minnesota Vikings, though no team made a move for him yet. The Miami Dolphins almost pulled off a blockbuster trade for him in March, but opted not to do so. Now, all reports suggest he's going to be released to save the Vikings a bit of cap space.
Since teams won't have to send assets and take on a major contract to add him now, more activity is to be expected. One team that makes a lot of sense for the former Pro Bowl running back is the Dallas Cowboys.
They moved on from Ezekiel Elliott in the offseason and are shifting to Tony Pollard, with Ronald Jones, Duece Vaughn and others waiting in the wings. Pollard is a free agent after this season, though.
The #Vikings and four-time Pro Bowl RB Dalvin Cook are parting ways, per source.
One of the NFL’s most dynamic playmakers, Cook is coming off a fourth straight 1,000-yard season and has 52 career TDs. Now he’ll be a free agent at age 27 and will have multiple suitors. https://t.co/kJUIi9XP6O
Moreover, last season's backfield was punctuated by a strong two-man game. Both Elliott and Pollard got a lot of touches and the offense was better for it. Without Elliott, that can't really happen. With Dalvin Cook released, they can once more.
Dalvin Cook release makes perfect sense for the Cowboys
Dalvin Cook is a perfect replacement in this sense. He's perfectly capable of being a workhorse and would probably benefit from having another elite playmaker in the backfield.
The Cowboys would then boast an offense with CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks, Tony Pollard and Cook, with Dak Prescott feeding them the ball. Not many offensive cores are better.
Cook is also a much better player than Elliott at this stage. Elliott is a bit run down and much older than the former Vikings star. The former Ohio State product has almost been run into the ground, while Cook's legs are much fresher.
The reason the Cowboys released their former running back was mostly financial, and Cook, now that he's released, can come much cheaper. Given that the Vikings have effectively admitted that the extension was a mistake, the running back's next deal (wherever it comes from) won't be astronomical.
All of this fits perfectly with Dallas, who need to add more playmakers to keep up with the Philadelphia Eagles. They were a playoff team last year, but that's never enough for Cowboys nation.
To take the next step, signing Cook is a move that makes sense. At the very least, it makes them a much more well-rounded offense and prevents Pollard from having to shoulder the entire load in the backfield.