Dalvin Cook could sign with the New York Jets or Miami Dolphins right now. However, the best running back on the NFL free agency market is taking his time deciding where he will play next season. And according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, that’s because he’s still earning a paycheck this year even if he doesn’t play, and there could be an even better team that could get involved.
Schefter joined the Pat McAfee Show on Wednesday and discussed why Cook hasn’t signed with the Jets or Dolphins yet. The insider said there were two major reasons that the four-time Pro Bowler is still a free agent.
One reason is that Cook will still make $2 million this season from the Minnesota Vikings even if he doesn’t play an NFL down. The second reason is while Cook likes the Jets and Dolphins, there could be a team that loses a running back in training camp and gets involved in the Dalvin Cook sweepstakes, giving him either more money or a better chance to win.
“He’s not in a rush when he’s got money coming [and] he’s got two situations that he likes,” Schefter told McAfee. “But until he feels like it’s right, he’s not going to move on that.”
"If Dalvin Cook doesn't play this year he gets $2M..
The two teams in the Dalvin Cook market are the Jets and the Dolphins but he's not in any rush to sign" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/O4ul172soZ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 2, 2023
There is a third reason that may be playing into Cook’s lack of a contract in NFL free agency yet as well, even though Adam Schefter discounted it a bit on McAfee’s show.
An ex-girlfriend, Gracelyn Trimble, is currently accusing Cook of physical and emotional abuse and recently alleged that the running back offered her $1 million to absolve him of wrongdoing in the case. The case is still pending, as is Cook’s defamation suit against Trimble.
These ongoing court cases could ultimately lead to disciplinary action by the NFL, which may be one more factor in Dalvin Cook taking his time while deciding on his next move.