The Minnesota Vikings are parting ways with star running back Dalvin Cook, according to multiple reports.
The Vikings are expected to release Cook on Friday if they are unable to trade him by then, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported.
The four-time Pro Bowler is coming off his fourth consecutive season with more than 1,000 rushing yards.
The move to release Cook would alleviate cap pressure on the Vikings. He signed a 5-year, $63 million deal in 2020 that runs through the 2024 season. He will be owed $2 million once released.
If Minnesota decided to keep Cook, his deal would leave the Vikings with a $14.1 million cap hit. But the team would save $9 million in cap space by releasing Cook after June 1, a move that became a possibility the longer the offseason went on.
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Cook should have various suiters around the league including the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos, according to ESPN’s Schefter.
Through six seasons, Cook’s 5,993 total rushing yards ranks third on Minnesota’s all-time leaderboard. His 47 rushing touchdowns are among the top five in Vikings franchise history. He’s also run for the fourth-most yards among active players since 2017. The decision to move on from Cook means the Vikings will have a new starting running back for the first time since the 2016 season.
Now, the reins will be handed off to 24-year-old running back Alexander Mattison. Minnesota signed Mattison to a 2-year, $7 million contract in March with the intention that he would become the franchise’s new starting running back.
He’s spent four years backing up Cook, finishing with at least 400 rushing yards in three of those seasons. He had a career low in yards and touches last season, but ran for five touchdowns, second-most on the team behind Cook.
Mattison showed promise when filling in for Cook in games the running back missed due to injury. In two of the four games Cook missed during the 2021 season, Mattison ran for at least 100 yards. His production declined last season with Cook playing in each game.
