Much has been made of the reasons behind the Minnesota Vikings releasing Dalvin Cook,
who is coming off a fourth consecutive Pro Bowl appearance this year and showed he’s still one of the league’s most explosive backs.
It ultimately came down to finances. Cook was due a $10.4 million base salary that the new Vikings regime did not want to sink in at the running back position.
However, another wrinkle in the decision to move on from Cook was Kevin O’Connell’s hope for more consistency in the running game
after Cook led the league with 62 rushes of zero or negative yards, per ESPN.
Appearing on The Adam Schefter Podcast on June 19, Cook addressed the changes to the offense in the first year under O’Connell, which didn’t necessarily benefit him as a runner.
“I’m a three-down back. Running the ball, outside zone, inside zone, that’s what I do. That’s my bread and butter.
That’s not their scheme. They want to get the ball out wide to the guys outside, and they want to toss the ball around, and that’s not what I’m looking [for],” Cook said.
He added that he’s hoping to find a team that is willing to commit to the run game more as opposed to a more diverse scheme like O’Connell’s.
“I want somebody that’s going to ground and pound, and we’re going to make plays on the outside, and I’m going to help somebody win,” Cook said.
Cook’s agent also bad-mouthed the Vikings’ playcalling in the run game earlier this offseason.
While Cook had his issues with the offense, he maintained his grace with the organization and expressed his understanding of the business decision to release him.
“The relationship between me K.O. [O’Connell], Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah]… it’s just love.
I appreciate them coming in and being the people they was — just making sure that Dalvin Cook the person was okay every day when I walked in the building,” Cook said.
They good people, I appreciate them so much, but the move was anticipated.” Alexander Mattison Is Not the Answer for Vikings Ty Chandler a Breakout Candidate for Vikings