The Minnesota Vikings have been holding on to running back Dalvin Cook throughout the offseason, likely in hopes of finding a trade partner. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Saturday morning’s “SportsCenter,” the Vikings could cut Cook before the NFL draft.
“I’m told all options are on the table here and that he could be released closer to the draft if things don’t work out,” Fowler said. “They had talked to at least one team about a trade in the past closer to free agency, so he is certainly a name to watch.”
Holding on to Cook and then releasing him right before the draft would signal they couldn’t find a trade partner. Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was asked about Cook being on the team next year, and he kept it vague.
“Again, conversations are always ongoing with him,” Adofo-Mensah said. “We’re trying to be solutions-oriented and always trying to put the roster together within our constraints, and we’ll continue those conversations.”
Once the Vikings signed Alexander Mattison, Cook’s future looked bleak. The Vikings would save $5.89 million if they release him pre-June 1, $7.89 million if they trade him pre-June 1 and $11 million if they do either post-June 1, per Over The Cap.