Dalvin Cook

Cook's recent history shows signs of slowing even though he's only 28 this season. It's not just Cook's shoulder that's a concern -- though he underwent shoulder surgery in February and its tendency to dislocate repeatedly is not helpful -- it's more that Cook's explosiveness went missing for stretches last season. Although his year-end numbers were fine enough, he had only two weeks with triple-digit rushing totals and his fewest carries of 20-plus yards (five) since 2018. Cook played every game for the first time, had WR Justin Jefferson occupying the attention of safeties and broke off a career-long 81-yard run, yet the veteran back finished with a career-low 4.4 YPC and ran for first downs on only 18.9 percent of carries (after three consecutive years of 22.9 percent or better). No surprise, then, the Vikings released Cook in June to save $9 million in cap space after not finding a suitable trade. Cook signed with the Jets in August to provide backfield depth, but lead runner Breece Hall is coming off a torn ACL and might not be ready for Week 1. When both are available, Cook likely will cut into Hall's touches in a backup role.

While he wasn't able to repeat his huge 2020, particularly when it came to scoring touchdowns, Cook still put up good numbers last season, ranking fourth in the NFL with 89.2 rushing yards per game. In fact, he may be the most consistent top back in the NFL, for good and for bad. He's always been a big-play threat thanks to his blend of power, speed and agility, producing 4.5 yards per carry or better in all five of his NFL seasons, and his nine carries of 20 or more yards last year were a career high. On the other hand, he's missed multiple games every year, including four last season due to ankle and shoulder injuries and a stint in the COVID-19 protocols. If there's reason for optimism in 2022, it's the likelihood of positive TD regression and the sweeping changes the Vikings made to their coaching staff. Gone is Mike Zimmer and his old-school approach and in his place is former Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell. The new offense is expected to give the passing game a more significant boost, but that could also benefit Cook if the Vikings are more efficient overall, particularly if they're playing at a faster pace. He's averaged more than 21 touches and 100 total yards per game three straight seasons, and there isn't much reason for the new coaching staff to reduce Cook's workload after backup Alexander Mattison managed only 3.7 YPC last year.

Cook once again did not suit up for a full schedule, missing Week 6 last year with a minor groin strain before leaving the team in Week 17 after the death of his father, but his production when he was on the field was phenomenal. He finished second in the league in rushing yards and rushing TDs, behind only Derrick Henry, and no back saw more carries inside the five-yard line or broke more tackles than Cook. His combination of strength, elusiveness and breakaway speed makes him perhaps the most dangerous pure runner in the NFL, and while Cook doesn't have the route-running ability of some other three-down backs, he's recorded at least 40 receptions in three consecutive seasons, proving capable as a pass catcher. The circumstances around him remain extremely favorable as well. The offensive line figures to get better with Ezra Cleveland and Garrett Bradbury solidifying the middle, while coach Mike Zimmer is still predisposed to a ground-and-pound gameplan. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak did come up through the ranks focused on the passing game, but his father Gary was no stranger to dominant rushing attacks during his coaching career. One of these years Cook is going to play 16 games, and 2,000-plus scrimmage yards likely will follow.

Cook stayed mostly healthy last season and as a result put together a career year, but his improved numbers were more than just a product of increased volume. The Florida State product solidified his standing as a three-down weapon, leading the league in carries inside the 5-yard line with 21 while also finishing second to Austin Ekeler in yards per target among running backs (8.2 YPT). Cook's burst through the hole and speed in the open field remain his greatest assets, and his well-rounded skill set keeps him on the field in most situations and makes him arguably the key figure in a Minnesota offense that finished third in the NFL with a 49.1 percent run-play rate. Despite the dynamic numbers, the 5-10, 210-pound Cook still is not completely free of his injury-prone reputation, as the team sat him for the final two games of the regular season while he nursed a shoulder injury, before he scored twice in an upset win over New Orleans in the opening round of the playoffs. With a competent backup available in Alexander Mattison, the Vikings likely will continue to keep a close eye on Cook's workload, and they might even decide to play hardball when it comes to negotiations on a long-term contract. Cook reported to training camp on time, but he may take limited reps in practice while the contract situation plays out.

Cook's return from a torn ACL in his rookie season didn't go according to plan. Rather than proving he could handle the rigors of the NFL, he strained his hamstring Week 2 and missed five of the next six games, not looking 100 percent healthy until late in the season. The Vikings were forced to give Latavius Murray more snaps than they planned, and Cook now heads into 2019 having played 15 of 32 games, totaling a respectable but not fantastic 1,364 scrimmage yards. When healthy, he's flashed a three-down skill set, showing solid receiving ability and good burst and speed on the ground, but until he demonstrates he can handle a big workload he'll be hard to trust. Minnesota promoted from within for its new offensive coordinator, handing the job to QB coach Kevin Stefanski, so don't expect big changes to scheme or Cook's role. The offense will flow through Kirk Cousins, but the Vikings at least gave Cook a vote of confidence by allowing Murray to depart for New Orleans, leaving little in the way of established backup talent behind their third-year starter.

Through the first month last season, Cook looked every bit the part of a true three-down back, piling up 444 scrimmage yards with two touchdowns, 4.8 YPC and four runs of 20 yards or more through his first 14 NFL quarters, but then he blew out his knee just after halftime in Week 4. The silver lining is that his injury happened early in the season, so he should be healthy for the start of the 2018 campaign. The Vikings certainly are counting on it after allowing Jerick McKinnon to leave for San Francisco in free agency. Assuming he's healthy, Cook has every tool you could want in a No. 1 RB. He has the patience to allow holes to develop, the vision and burst to hit them before they close, and the speed and elusiveness to do damage once he hits the second level. His receiving and blocking skills are good enough to keep him on the field in passing situations, and at 5-11, 213, he has the size and strength to handle goal-line duties as well. With Kirk Cousins coming over from Washington and former Eagles QB coach John DeFilippo taking over as coordinator, the Vikings are likely to focus more on their passing attack, but that isn't necessarily a bad sign for Cook's touch volume. The stability of his knee is a greater concern than his role, even after he managed limited participation in team drills at OTAs in May and June.

Hugely productive at Florida State, Cook saw his draft stock tumble due to off-field concerns and some ball security issues, but the Vikings snapped him up in the second round anyway as their potential replacement for Adrian Peterson. Cook looks the part of a lead back at 5-10, 213, and while his speed and elusiveness make him dangerous in the open field, his patience and ability to set up would-be tacklers are his best assets. Those traits may not play as well as they could in Minnesota, however. The Vikings' offensive line was terrible in 2016, and while they did attempt to bolster the unit in the offseason by signing tackle Riley Reiff away from the Lions and selecting Ohio State center Pat Elflein in the third round, Cook's vision and guile may not help him much if he's dodging defenders in the backfield instead of on the other side of the line of scrimmage. The club also signed former Raiders lead back Latavius Murray, who was expected to compete with the rookie for the starting role but was still recovering from offseason ankle surgery when training camp opened. It's not out of the question Cook ends up as the most productive NFL back from a stacked 2017 draft class.