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As the Vikings go into the offseason to train for next season, running back Dalvin Cook has to make a few improvements to his game.
To be fair to Cook, he's still in the rookie phase of his career, and as such, there's plenty of time — and room — to improve.
But now that the 2018 season is over and the 2019 offseason training has begun, the Vikings running back needs to make a few, shall we say, capital improvements in order to prove that he was, ultimately, worth the investment.
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- He needs to tone down his explosiveness. Football, in general, is a “long game,” and while being explosive helped him earn 40 yards on just seven carries, it didn't help the team put out an impressive point total in three drives. That said, Cook's presence did indeed spark some improvements in the offensive starters, overall.
- He needs to be consistent in showing up to practice. The only time that Cook shouldn't show up to practice is if he's injured — as he was earlier this year, when he didn't show up to practice due to hamstring injuries. But no football player has ever become great just by showing up on the field to play — he has to practice — and that holds especially true for young players.
- He needs to understand he's important to the team. Last year, the Vikings were dead last with 252 rushing yards through four games. And prior to his injury, Dalvin Cook rushed for 354 yards last season, when he was limited to just four games before suffering a torn ACL. He has gained just 98 yards on the ground this season, while averaging 2.7 yards per carry. Overall, these stats are rather impressive, but unless he accepts that he has to work within a team environment, he will be sidelined more often than he plays.
That said, we have nothing but faith that Dalvin Cook will be able to improve enough to become one of the best players in the NFL.
