Dalvin Cook has informed the Minnesota Vikings that he will not be taking part in any team activities this offseason without a long-term extension in place. And if the two sides can’t come to an agreement before Week 1, Cook is reportedly prepared to miss regular season games.
A source told ESPN’s Courtney Cronin that Cook is willing to sit out the final year of his rookie contract if the Vikings don’t give him a new deal. He won’t have much leverage, however, as the new collective bargaining agreement states that a player who doesn’t report for the first day of training camp will not receive an accrued season.
The Vikings know the new CBA works in their favor, but they also know that Cook was an extremely important part of their offense last season. They want him on the field this season, and there is some optimism that a deal could get done.
While Cook has reportedly asked the Vikings for more than the $16 million per year Christian McCaffrey will be getting from the Carolina Panthers, that is likely just his way of aiming high. Cronin was told Minnesota offered Cook less than $10 million per year, which he found insulting. If the two sides meet in the middle, sources told Cronin that Cook would “gladly” take a deal worth $13 million per year.
Cook racked up more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage and scored 13 touchdowns last season, but he has missed 19 games due to injury through his first three years in the NFL. He likely knows he is not going to become the highest-paid running back in football, but he certainly doesn’t want to play for a salary of $1.33 million in 2020.
