IIsweet wrote: ↑Sat Jun 17, 2023 3:59 pm
In college he was sandwiched between David Montgomery and then Breece Hall, who arguably was one of the most impressive runners last year before injury. 2 NFL starting RBs.
So then he gets drafted by the Vikings and you got it... Dalvin Cook is there and Mattison.
There is no idea what the kid can do. If they see something special in him.... That's awesome !!!
Look, I watched Kene for four years. I'm a fan. I live 30 minutes from Jack Trice Stadium. He's fast. He can break big plays.
But if we've learned anything watching Kevin O'Connell, he wants more than big plays. Dalvin Cook had big plays, at least 3 of which were the key plays in comeback wins — he's no longer a Viking (obviously his contract had a lot to do with that). Here's what O'Connell had to say about the running back position when asked directly about Nwangwu:
Can they impact us not only in the [running] game but in the [passing] game? To me, it’s about their ability to win when they’re running routes, but you got to … be willing to step in there and block a little bit in pass protection. It’s not something we can get full-time, real reps of without pads on right now, but you can certainly be working on your technique and fundamentals.
Kene can fly. But can he do more than that? Does he have the vision? Can he run routes? Can he pass block?
I don't know. Something tells me there's more to Kene's lack of touches than simply who's been ahead of him on the depth chart.
Last edited by J. Kapp 11 on Mon Jun 19, 2023 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
VikingsVictorious wrote: ↑Sun Jun 11, 2023 6:19 pm
We ended up releasing Cook anyway, but my point was if we had to pay him $4Million to cut him and we could pay him $5Million and keep him we were effectively getting him for $1Million. Didn't happen.
Ah ... I get it.
Apparently Cook wasn't open to a pay cut. Now he's going to be forced to take one. Believe me when I tell you, I still believe Dalvin Cook is better than any running back we have on the roster. But with running backs, salary is an issue, especially when they've been in the league 6 years. I'll miss his big-play ability, for sure.
Yeah. I think Dalvin is still better than anyone else we got. I'm glad you got my point about the $4 million already being gone. I wonder what Dalvin will sign for if/when he signs.
J. Kapp 11 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 16, 2023 1:23 pm
Ah ... I get it.
Apparently Cook wasn't open to a pay cut. Now he's going to be forced to take one. Believe me when I tell you, I still believe Dalvin Cook is better than any running back we have on the roster. But with running backs, salary is an issue, especially when they've been in the league 6 years. I'll miss his big-play ability, for sure.
Yeah. I think Dalvin is still better than anyone else we got. I'm glad you got my point about the $4 million already being gone. I wonder what Dalvin will sign for if/when he signs.
For what it's worth, Kirk wants him back on the Vikings.
VikingsVictorious wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 1:32 pm
Yeah. I think Dalvin is still better than anyone else we got. I'm glad you got my point about the $4 million already being gone. I wonder what Dalvin will sign for if/when he signs.
For what it's worth, Kirk wants him back on the Vikings.
We've already released him and we are already on the hook for his dead cap right? What would it take to bring him back in a new contract?
J. Kapp 11 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2023 1:36 pm
For what it's worth, Kirk wants him back on the Vikings.
We've already released him and we are already on the hook for his dead cap right? What would it take to bring him back in a new contract?
You look around the NFL and the Vikings are the only team that isn't a bottom feeder that needs a RB. They do need him, and in that regard he could come back. The Vikings being the only team who needs him also means the Vikings really screwed him by waiting so long to cut him, and players around the NFL are going to take note that this is how Kwesi does business. Cook in particular is taking note, and probably would prefer to play for less for someone else than come back and play for a GM who essentially took his final season of prime earning seasons away from him.
If Dalvin was going to get a good offer he would have had it already. Seems like he's going to have to swallow his pride and accept whatever he can get.
VikingsVictorious wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 7:45 pm
If Dalvin was going to get a good offer he would have had it already. Seems like he's going to have to swallow his pride and accept whatever he can get.
He has gotten multiple offers and is leveraging those offers against each other I am sure. The Vikings screwed him by cutting him when every team with playoff hopes who would actually be interested in Cook already had plans at RB and that has hurt his earning potential, but teams still want him. A lot more than wanted Mattison in the height of free agency that is for sure.
VikingsVictorious wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2023 7:45 pm
If Dalvin was going to get a good offer he would have had it already. Seems like he's going to have to swallow his pride and accept whatever he can get.
He has gotten multiple offers and is leveraging those offers against each other I am sure. The Vikings screwed him by cutting him when every team with playoff hopes who would actually be interested in Cook already had plans at RB and that has hurt his earning potential, but teams still want him. A lot more than wanted Mattison in the height of free agency that is for sure.
How do you know the Vikings "screwed" him?
From where I sit, it looks to me like they thought they could get a deal done that compensated Cook while taking the larger salary cap and need to keep and acquire other key pieces of the team in context. Maybe Cook led them to believe that was possible, or maybe he thought the final agreement would be higher than what they ended up offering, but I find it unlikely they just screwed Cook over for the sake of what, screwing him over? If they didn't think they could reach a deal that worked for both sides I'm sure they would have traded or cut him earlier like they did with some of the other vets they knew weren't coming back.
Let's see what Cook ultimately ends up doing and what he gets. I'm sure there is interest in him, but I'm not convinced it's for the amount he probably believed he was worth at this point in his career. And I still think there is a chance he comes back to Minnesota if those other offers turn out to be around what the Vikings are offering. I don't think Cook has any ill will towards the Vikings. If he has, I haven't read about it or heard it.
Boomer Esiason says the Vikings have offered Cook a 7 Million contract. I think just for one season. Considering we already ate 5 Million that would be 12 Million on Cook this year. I don't get it.
VikingsVictorious wrote: ↑Sat Jul 15, 2023 12:46 pm
Boomer Esiason says the Vikings have offered Cook a 7 Million contract. I think just for one season. Considering we already ate 5 Million that would be 12 Million on Cook this year. I don't get it.
Cook's cap number on his old contract would have been 14m and remained a 3 year commitment. 15.5m of that is a signing bonus that stretched over each of the next three years.
My guess is the Vikings offered him something similar to what they offered him now (a couple million less a year on a shorter contract) and he wanted to test free agency. Now that he has he might be willing to come back at the reduced rate.
For what it's worth I don't think we'll see him back. If he gets offered a similar deal from Miami or New York I expect him to go there.
Yeah it's the length of contract. Even if they signed him to a similar, or slightly reduced, amount it would be for one season so they don't have a multiple year commitment/cap game.
Cliff wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:54 am
For what it's worth I don't think we'll see him back. If he gets offered a similar deal from Miami or New York I expect him to go there.
Who is going to offer Cook a multi-year deal at this point in his career given what the statistics say about NFL running backs overall? It just doesn't make sense unless a team is desperate for a veteran running back, but even in that case, it makes far more sense to offer a larger, single year deal than a smaller multi-year deal.
Besides, if the money is largely the same all-things-considered, why go to a different team? Unless, as Stump seems to believe, Cook feels the Vikings cheated him out of something, why go somewhere else where success and role will be less clear? Both KOC and KAM have spoken highly of Cook, as has Cousins. It seems like no bridges have been burned. It also seems Cook hasn't been offered the kind of money/deal he hoped might materialize in free agency. If he had been, he'd have signed it already and this discussion wouldn't be happening.
I think what the Vikings are offering Cook is more than fair. I'd be surprised to see him go somewhere else at this point.
Cliff wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2023 9:54 am
For what it's worth I don't think we'll see him back. If he gets offered a similar deal from Miami or New York I expect him to go there.
Who is going to offer Cook a multi-year deal at this point in his career given what the statistics say about NFL running backs overall? It just doesn't make sense unless a team is desperate for a veteran running back, but even in that case, it makes far more sense to offer a larger, single year deal than a smaller multi-year deal.
Besides, if the money is largely the same all-things-considered, why go to a different team? Unless, as Stump seems to believe, Cook feels the Vikings cheated him out of something, why go somewhere else where success and role will be less clear? Both KOC and KAM have spoken highly of Cook, as has Cousins. It seems like no bridges have been burned. It also seems Cook hasn't been offered the kind of money/deal he hoped might materialize in free agency. If he had been, he'd have signed it already and this discussion wouldn't be happening.
I think what the Vikings are offering Cook is more than fair. I'd be surprised to see him go somewhere else at this point.
It's interesting. I haven't seen that $7 million Vikings offer anywhere but from Boomer Esiason. Not saying it's not true ... just weird that no one else is reporting it. There are a bunch of other wildly speculative rumors though. Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks say he'd be great in Washington. Supposedly the Jets have interest, but they've still got to work out the Rodgers contract, and they've already got Breece Hall, although he's coming off the ACL. Cook himself reportedly wants to go home to Miami, but they don't seem as interested in him as he is in them. I've even seen Patriots rumors.
The unfortunate truth for Dalvin is that he's finding out what a lot of RBs are finding out ... teams just aren't willing to pay high-priced veterans, even on one-year deals.
It would not surprise me one bit to see Dalvin Cook return to Minnesota, assuming Esiason's report of an offer on the table is true. If that happens, then somebody in that RB room is likely gone. With the new kickoff rules, and with the two return-capable Jalens on the roster (Nailor and Reagor), that casualty probably would be the guy I stumped for, Kene Nwangwu.
We shall see. Veterans report to Vikings training camp in 8 days.
VikingLord wrote: ↑Mon Jul 17, 2023 11:28 am
Besides, if the money is largely the same all-things-considered, why go to a different team? Unless, as Stump seems to believe, Cook feels the Vikings cheated him out of something, why go somewhere else where success and role will be less clear?
The biggest is if he has a comparable deal in Miami. He was born in Florida, went to high school in Miami, and played at Florida state. I think connecting dots from there is pretty obvious.
So basically non-football related stuff. He may want to live in a bigger city as well (new york).
That's only if all other things are equal. Otherwise he'll take the best financial deal possible and he'd be a fool not to.
Who is going to offer Cook a multi-year deal at this point in his career given what the statistics say about NFL running backs overall? It just doesn't make sense unless a team is desperate for a veteran running back, but even in that case, it makes far more sense to offer a larger, single year deal than a smaller multi-year deal.
Besides, if the money is largely the same all-things-considered, why go to a different team? Unless, as Stump seems to believe, Cook feels the Vikings cheated him out of something, why go somewhere else where success and role will be less clear? Both KOC and KAM have spoken highly of Cook, as has Cousins. It seems like no bridges have been burned. It also seems Cook hasn't been offered the kind of money/deal he hoped might materialize in free agency. If he had been, he'd have signed it already and this discussion wouldn't be happening.
I think what the Vikings are offering Cook is more than fair. I'd be surprised to see him go somewhere else at this point.
It's interesting. I haven't seen that $7 million Vikings offer anywhere but from Boomer Esiason. Not saying it's not true ... just weird that no one else is reporting it. There are a bunch of other wildly speculative rumors though. Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks say he'd be great in Washington. Supposedly the Jets have interest, but they've still got to work out the Rodgers contract, and they've already got Breece Hall, although he's coming off the ACL. Cook himself reportedly wants to go home to Miami, but they don't seem as interested in him as he is in them. I've even seen Patriots rumors.
The unfortunate truth for Dalvin is that he's finding out what a lot of RBs are finding out ... teams just aren't willing to pay high-priced veterans, even on one-year deals.
It would not surprise me one bit to see Dalvin Cook return to Minnesota, assuming Esiason's report of an offer on the table is true. If that happens, then somebody in that RB room is likely gone. With the new kickoff rules, and with the two return-capable Jalens on the roster (Nailor and Reagor), that casualty probably would be the guy I stumped for, Kene Nwangwu.
We shall see. Veterans report to Vikings training camp in 8 days.
Here's the conversation:
I'd feel terrible for Mattison if he does come back. He's probably pretty pumped to be starter.
