Dalvin Cook has lived up to the promise during his brief NFL career that made him a household name for the Florida State Seminoles. However, as dynamic as he's been when healthy, the Minnesota Vikings star is best known to this point at the professional level for his inability to stay on the field.
If Cook manages a clean bill of health, though, don't be surprised if he cements himself as an elite player at his position this season – if not the best running back in all football. In an article posted earlier this week, Austin Gayle of Pro Football Focus predicts big things for the third-year pro in 2019 under the tutelage of offensive assistant Gary Kubiak and behind an improved Minnesota offensive line.
“…the optimistic view of Cook and the Vikings’ current situation is a sight to behold. A healthy, rejuvenated Cook running rampant in the beauty that is Kubiak’s outside zone offense behind a [Garrett] Bradbury-led offensive line is a dream that, if turned reality, will shock the NFL.”
Kubiak, who's spent the past two seasons away from the game following his dismissal as head coach of the Denver Broncos, was hired by Minnesota in January as assistant head coach and offensive advisor. Among the more well-respected offensive minds in football, he'll team with first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski to revamp the Vikings' running game, likely implementing his famed zone-blocking scheme.
Bradbury, meanwhile, was Minnesota's first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Considered one of the most NFL-ready players in his class, he'll lead a young, improved offensive line at center that also stands to benefit from Kubiak's concepts.
In 11 games last season, Cook had 133 carries for 615 yards and two scores. If he lives up to PFF's expectations, expect him to blow those numbers out of the water in 2019.
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