Well Vikings fans, we said it early on in the season; the hits will keep on coming. After the departure of fan favorites like Thielen and Kendricks, today we get the news that Dalvin Cook will no longer be a Viking.
Why Dalvin is no longer a Viking
Looking at all the moves, this was the one that made the most sense. All respect to Dalvin Cook, he was no doubt a massive fan favorite and an amazing player for our favorite football team. But with a massive contract looming, the production we saw last year and the injury issues, the head brass decided it was time for a change. And I am okay with it. Most fans are as well, the money issue was starting to become worrisome. Especially with extensions on the horizon for JJettas and Danielle Hunter.
Since Dalvin took over as the lead back in 2017, the Vikings had an A-tier playmaker. So much so, that he was relied on heavily for big plays in the Zimmer era. But last year was a little different with this new offense, and I think that’s the kicker here. Go back and look at the last several teams to win a Big Game. They had a committee-style approach when it came to running backs. Why pay 1 guy all the money, when you can pay 3 guys half of that money to do the same thing? It just makes sense.
Now with Dalvin out the picture, the Vikings can take that approach and lean on a few guys to make some noise. Alexander Mattison is a quality back, Ty Chandler should be solid and Dewayne McBride has the makings of a tough runner. The writing was on the wall with Dalvin’s release, but it’s still tough to say goodbye to one of the best running backs in franchise history. All the best to you in Miami (probably), Dalvin. Thanks for the memories.
Professional Driver. Lover of all things sports. I once cut meat for Paul Allen and Mark Rosen. I talk on a podcast about men hugging each other aggressively.