The Minnesota Vikings put forth a phenomenal 2022 campaign where they tied for the second-best record in the NFC at 13-4 and finished with the fourth-most touchdowns in the entire league. That said, rumor has it that even they could find themselves making some sizeable changes prior to their September 10 opening-day kick-off, and a trade involving star running back Dalvin Cook could be a potential move that's on the proverbial table.
“The window is open” for a trade involving the 27-year-old and a major reason for this seems to be the emergence and fit of fifth-year veteran Alexander Mattison, according to NBC Sports' Mike Florio.
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“The handwriting has been on the wall for weeks. The Vikings have decided to make a value play for Alexander Mattison, who has played well when called upon to do so during his first four NFL seasons. He’s not a home-run hitter like Cook, but in an offense that looks to be ready to focus on the passing game, the Vikings can take the position that Cook is a luxury they don’t need to afford,” Mike Florio wrote. “Think of it this way. Are the Vikings a Super Bowl contender? If not, why not save money and refocus the offensive efforts toward other skillsets possessed by the likes of Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, K.J. Osborne, and first-round rookie Jordan Addison.”
Florio would continue on by noting that despite being behind Dalvin Cook on the depth chart, Mattison “has served not as a complement to Cook but an injury replacement.” When Cook has been unable to play and Mattison received more than 20 carries he would go on to rush for 522 yards, which equated to an average of 104.4 yards per game.
“That extrapolates to a 1,774-yard season, assuming he can handle the week-in and week-out grind of being the starter,” explained Florio.
Despite the club's reported willingness to move on from their franchise tailback, it goes without saying that the sixth-year veteran is still a highly talented backfield commodity when available. Since 2019, Dalvin Cook has accumulated immaculate totals of 5,024 rushing yards and 46 total touchdowns while boasting a 4.7 yards per attempt average.
Should the Vikings heavily push for a trade involving Cook, rumblings already indicate that many teams could be interested in acquiring his services, with the Miami Dolphins serving as the most noteworthy franchise that has recently been linked as a possible landing spot.
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