Jets adding four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook
As if adding Aaron Rodgers and being the focal point of the NFL offseason wasn’t enough, the New York Jets are planning to sign Dalvin Cook to a one-year deal worth up to $8.6 million. Cook, who had shoulder surgery in February, is still a few weeks away from joining the Jets on the practice field, but the running back badly wanted to be in New York this season. And his arrival will be welcomed for a team that is still awaiting the return of Breece Hall, last year’s rookie sensation that tore his ACL after a blistering hot start.
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The Jets had a solid stable of running backs without Hall, but the team had some cap space and you can’t blame them for spending it on a four-time Pro Bowler. While Cook might not be the player he was in 2020, he still rushed for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns last year. On top of that, Cook caught 39 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns. This is a player that is clearly exiting his prime, but he is still producing at a relatively high level. In fact, he was sixth in the league in rushing yards last year, and his 4.4 yards per carry suggests he still has a little juice left.
Cook does come with some major injury concerns — and he has a bit of a checkered past off the field — so it shouldn’t surprise anybody that New York’s odds to win the Super Bowl remain unchanged at DraftKings Sportsbook — as was the case with the New England Patriots after news trickled out that they’re signing Ezekiel Elliott. But Cook should be able to help the Jets offense as part of a committee. He’ll be able to run extremely hard whenever he’s out there, and he should have fresh legs as he’ll be rotated in and out constantly.
Overall, this is just another weapon to account for in a Rodgers-led offense that is expected to be very difficult to stop this season. And considering this is a one-year deal, it’s a low-risk move for New York.
The only outcome that could potentially harm the Jets would be Cook getting too big of a role in the offense. Once Hall is ready to rock, New York would be wise to prioritize getting him his touches. Hall was on his way to breezing by the 1,000-yard mark last season, and he’s arguably the best player in this offense.
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