Florida State Seminoles Coach Accept Terms To Move…
Later this month is the NFL Draft, and the league anticipates a flurry of trade activity leading up to it. After the Los Angeles Rams traded All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Miami Dolphins in March, that might result in the departure of several stars.
READ MORE: Three-Star Defensive Tackle Keishawn Mashburn Backs Off Pledge to Florida State
Another former Florida State standout might be finding a new home in the near future. Chatter has been swirling around Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook over the last couple of weeks. He has three years remaining on a contract this is still worth north of roughly $43 million.
The Minnesota Vikings are close to surpassing the cap prior to the 2023 NFL Draft. After moving on from franchise favorite Adam Thielen earlier this offseason and re-signing running back Alexander Mattison, will Cook be a cap casualty?
Given the approaching draft, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports, who recently listed the Florida native as a candidate to be traded or shopped, says it’s a possibility.
“Having just completed his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season, Cook remains among the NFL’s finest pure runners when moving at full speed. However, he is almost 28 years old, has a history of bothersome injuries, 1,500 career touches, and is owed at least $14 million in each of the next three years. In order to save money this offseason, Minnesota hasn’t held back when it comes to saying goodbye to fans’ favorites. Alexander Mattison would lead the backfield rotation going forward after Cook’s departure, saving the Vikings nearly $8 million in trade fees.”
If Cook is traded prior to June 1, the Vikings would save nearly $8 million of cap space. That number jumps up to $9 million if he’s released after June 1 and $11 million if he’s traded after that date.
Despite getting banged up, Cook is coming off a campaign where he started every regular-season game for the first time in his professional career. He recorded 264 carries for 1,173 yards with eight rushing touchdowns while catching 39 passes for 295 yards and two more scores. Cook has rushed for 5,993 yards and 47 touchdowns on the ground in six years.
Cook attended Tallahassee for his entire college career, where he excelled as one of the greatest running backs to ever wear garnet and gold. With 5,399 all-purpose yards, he is seventh in ACC history and second in FSU history. In 2016, Cook’s final season at Florida State saw him named an Orange Bowl MVP and a unanimous choice for the All-American and All-ACC First Teams.