NFL Trade Rumors: Jets willing to trade $7,000,000 RB Dalvin Cook after massive offseason pairing with Aaron Rodgers
When Dalvin Cook joined the New York Jets in the preseason, it was widely viewed as a great signing. Aaron Rodgers was getting a star rusher who would form part of a very potent offense headlined by wide receivers Garrett Wilson, Mecole Hardman, and his old Green Bay allies Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb.
And then Rodgers blew out his Achilles in his team debut. Since then, it has been mostly bad defeats, and Gang Green may now reportedly decide to cut its losses.
The Athletic's Dianna Russini has recently revealed that the Jets are open to trading away three players. The four-time Pro Bowl running back, Dalvin Cook, who has a $7-million contract, is one of them. In five games so far, he has had just 97 yards on 36 carries and no touchdowns. By contrast, Breece Hall, who sat out most of 2022 with a knee injury, has had 387 on 54 and a touchdown within the same stretch.
Which teams should target Dalvin Cook?
If the New York Jets' Dalvin Cook experiment is truly ending, then he has at least a couple of prime options.
First would be the Baltimore Ravens, as proposed by ESPN's Bill Barnwell. The Ravens are still reeling from losing JK Dobbins to a season-ending Achilles injury during their Week 1 game, and the former Minnesota Viking would provide quality depth behind Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.
Another good destination for him would be the Los Angeles Rams, who desperately need a proven rusher after trading Cam Akers to Cook's old haunts in Minneapolis.
Other players besides Dalvin Cook that the New York Jets could trade away
Besides Cook, Russini mentioned Mecole Hardman and defensive end Carl Lawson as potential trade subjects when it comes to the New York Jets.
Two-time Super Bowl-winning wideout Hardman has had just a single six-yard catch since coming to East Rutherford, and one of the rumored suitors is his old team in Kansas City, whose star quarterback Patrick Mahomes may need a much more capable secondary option behind Travis Kelce.
Lawson, meanwhile, is set to become a free agent after this season. The former Cincinnati Bengal, who took a pay cut for the final year of his current contract, has had just three tackles and no sacks so far.