Dalvin Cook knows his worth and knows where he wants his future to be.
In an interview this week with Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Minnesota Vikings running back gave his opinion on where he stands among the league’s elite.
“I consider myself the best back in the game,” said Cook. “The things I do coming out of the backfield, the things I do in between the tackles, I block, I pretty much do it all. I don’t have to come off the field. I think some guys just don’t do as much as I do, and I think that’s why I’m today’s [top] back.”
The 24-year-old star, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract, also said that he would like to remain in Minnesota for the long run.
“I definitely love Minnesota,” he said. “I love everything the state has to bring. Being a kid, I was drafted [in 2017] from [my hometown] Miami, so I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I actually am happy where I’m at, and I would like to be in Minnesota long term.”
Cook, who earned Pro Bowl honors last season, put up the numbers to back up his claims as well. He recorded a robust 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games and added 53 receptions for 519 yards.
While Cook tore his ACL in 2017 and battled other nagging injuries last year, the Vikings would be smart to make him a long-term foundational block of their team. Whether you think that Cook is better than the likes of Derrick Henry, Ezekiel Elliott, and Christian McCaffrey though is open for debate.
