Cook Wants to Get Paid! Is Phins Connection Dead?

Cook isn’t looking for a cheap / team-friendly deal

Dalvin Cook and the Miami Dolphins have been linked as a ‘done deal’ for months. After the Phins drafted running back Davon Achane in the 3rd Round of the 2023 Draft news of the connection cooled off, only to heat up again when he was released by the Minnesota Vikings it heated right back up! But, recent news from Tom Pelissero that Cook wants a “significant contract” might have this ‘marriage of destiny’ on ice forever.

Cook wouldnt be right at the wrong price

I never saw Cook and the Dolphins being the right fit because of the money he’d command, the number of key Free Agents next offseason, and the limited funds the Dolphins have. Both Jimmy Bourbon and I feel keeping Connor Willams and Robert Hunt on the Dolphins roster is critical. Cook’s salary could be saved for next season to help sign one or both, so I’m not as hellbent on getting him as many fans are.

But, I also wondered about where Cook was at as far as his ability to raise the level of the offensive line. While I think Cook is a better back than anyone on the Phins roster, Mostert’s production and physicality, along with drafting Achane and having Wilson, combined with a high price tag just didn’t make sense. And I never bought into him coming to Miami for penuts!

So, give Connor Williams and Robert Hunt instead.

The Athletic aritcle by Ted Nguyen “Is Dalvin Cook cooked?” made some great points on why the market for Cook has been tepid: “The total of rushing yards over expected (RYOE) is how many actual yards a runner gets over what is expected. According to Telemetry, Cook ranked 55th out of 69 eligible NFL runners in this metric last season. In 2021, he ranked 42nd out of 77, and in 2020, he ranked eighth out of 82.”

Add in the southward trajectory from 2020 of Cook’s production of Yards Afer Contact and broken tackles combined with the offensive line support in Yards Before Contact and you have to wonder if will he be worth it.

Now, to be fair, Cook has had a separated shoulder for the last two seasons and a bad ankle as well in 2021. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether this helps or hurts his case. I’m on the fence about the injuries bringing positive context.

In factoring a runner, you must include the offensive line

You can bet with the best pay per head that the Dolphins’ offensive line doesn’t block nearly as well as the Vikings… unless something very drastic has changed from last season. So, investing a ‘significant contract’ in a running back doesn’t seem wise.

But, what if Cook passes through the Denvers, Jets, Cowboys, and whoever else without a significant offer…

…Maybe Dolphins GM Chris Grier can get him on that cheap one-year deal where the Florida lack of taxes tips the scale in his favor?

Long shot? Yes! But not impossible.

While I’d still rather that money carried over to next year to help sign our Free Agents, I wouldn’t groan about adding him on the cheap for a single season too much. Heck, I might end up growing to like the idea. Let’s see how this long-running drama ends up playing out and hope it ends up being the best for the Dolphins. Go Phins!!!