Report news:Minnesota Vikings player Dalvin Cook anouncement that he’s leaving..

Vikings release Dalvin Cook: perks and cons of Minnesota cutting ties with the standout running back in 2023

Star running back Dalvin Cook is leaving the Vikings after playing for six seasons in Minnesota. The Pro Bowler has exceeded 1,100 rushing yards in four consecutive seasons, so it’s not for lack of output; rather, the high cost of the player will save the team at least $9 million in 2023 if they decide to part ways with the fan favorite. Is it now appropriate for the Vikings to move on?

Here is a quick summary of the benefits and drawbacks of severing ties with Cook, along with our assessment of the choice:

It is 2023. Cook, who is approaching 28 years old and has almost 1,300 carries of wear and tear at one of the most replaceable positions in the game, is unquestionably one of the NFL’s most explosive pure runners. In addition, if his 2020 contract had been extended, he would have started this season as the third-highest paid wide receiver out of all of them, with more than $14 million in annual salary due through 2025.

Is Cook more valuable than RBs like Aaron Jones, Joe Mixon, and Nick Chubb who are paid similarly? Yes. However, that does not imply that any of those players should automatically fetch top dollar from progressive teams. For instance, take into consideration how little the defending NFC champion Eagles, one of the league’s best rushing teams, are willing to invest in the position. They will be paying veterans Rashaad Penny and D’Andre Swift a combined $3 million through 2023.

The Vikings’ trajectory is a reality that even the most devoted Cook fan must accept. Proven playmakers like Adam Thielen, Eric Kendricks, and Za’Darius Smith have been let go by Minnesota during a large portion of this offseason, as the team has refused to commit to quarterback Kirk Cousins past this season. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, general manager, is looking toward a longer-term restocking, possibly starting with young pass catchers Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson. Simply put, by the time this team is ready for a legitimate championship run, it is unrealistic to think Cook will still be worth a top-five salary.

And there are the nitpicks from the field. For backup Alexander Mattison to match Cook’s raw dynamism, a lot will need to happen. However, Cook hasn’t exactly been a world-class all-purpose back in the modern NFL; in the last six years, he has only once surpassed 400 receiving yards. Another concern has been availability; in 2022, for the first time in his six-year career, he did not miss several games because of injury.

First of all, his absence will almost certainly make the Vikings offense less explosive. Despite his shortcomings, when healthy, Cook has consistently been among the fastest and most fluid ball-carriers in the league. His replacement, Mattison, has performed admirably in limited action over the course of four seasons, but he has also shown himself to be more of a straightforward, tough-yardage back in back-to-back seasons, averaging less than four yards per carry. It’s as simple as opposing teams will no longer be as afraid of the backfield, allowing them to concentrate more on Cousins, Jefferson, and the aerial attack.

Regarding Cousins and company, Cook’s departure puts the QB, WR1, and TE1 in Hockenson, the team’s remaining offensive pillars, in a state of sort of purgatory. Do the Vikings really want to be in the running for the 2023 season? They obviously have the makings of a higher-octane attack, as evidenced by their unexpected 13-4 run to the NFC North title a year ago. However, eliminating Cook from the picture, even if it means shelling out a lot of money to lock up Jefferson and Hockenson, merely serves to increase the emphasis on replenishing and reconstructing in 2024.

The improbable possibility that the Vikings perform as well as or better than they did in 2022 also exists. Imagine that Cousins has a monster season in his contract year, Jefferson performs admirably, and Brian Flores’ newfound defensive oversight propels Minnesota to yet another postseason appearance. In that case, perhaps Mattison is merely adequate rather than exceptional, and RB turns out to be this team’s one obvious weakness. In that case, Adofo-Mensah and company might wish they had kept hold of such a talented player for an unlikely championship run.

The improbable possibility that the Vikings perform as well as or better than they did in 2022 also exists. Imagine that Cousins has a monster season in his contract year, Jefferson performs admirably, and Brian Flores’ newfound defensive oversight propels Minnesota to yet another postseason appearance. In that case, perhaps Mattison is merely adequate rather than exceptional, and RB turns out to be this team’s one obvious weakness. In that case, Adofo-Mensah and company might wish they had kept hold of such a talented player for an unlikely championship run.

Intelligence above sentimentality. That’s the essential element. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, particularly at elite positions like quarterback, where even a competent starter frequently demands large contracts just to maintain a team’s hopes of making the playoffs. However, at RB, where finding high-quality production is simpler than ever as long as the proper O-line is in place? It’s not as difficult to figure out.

For Vikings supporters, Cook might have been a fun player to call their own. And there might be some juice left in him. However, cutting ties with Cook to reallocate resources seems like the right move if Adofo-Mensah is genuinely dedicated to the difficult task of rescuing Minnesota from its “just good enough” situation.