Dalvin Cook would be a luxury for Jets, not a necessity
FLORHAM PARK — Dalvin Cook wasn’t 100 yards onto the Jets practice field before his name reigned down from the many in attendance. The Pro Bowl running back, somewhat stunningly still a free agent, basked in the attention brought forth from his first visit.
He leaned in to the attention, teased, as he had in recent media appearances in recent days, the idea of donning the green-and-white. The thought of all this is still somewhat unfathomable. Superstars suddenly want to play for the Jets.
And the Jets, starved of success for far too long, want them, too.
With this one, though, it’s important to remember they do not need him.
The Jets weren’t just burning Woody Johnson’s frequent flier miles when they decided to bring Cook in on Sunday. There’s legitimate interest in him and for good reason. He's still on the right side of 30 (turns 28 next month). He’s rushed for more than 1,100 yards each of the last four seasons. In 2022 he had 1,173 rushing yards (4.4 yards per carry), eight touchdowns and caught another 39 passes for 295 and two scores. He hasn’t missed a Pro Bowl since his second year in the league.
A player like that — even with high mileage and aging — makes any team better. Especially one in the Jets that has questions at tailback. Breece Hall, who rushed for 463 yards and four touchdowns in just seven games last year, is still working his way back from an ACL injury. He should be back in a few weeks, head coach Robert Saleh said Sunday, but the date he returns to 100 percent is far more uncertain. Behind him are Michael Carter, Bam Knight and rookie Izzy Abanikanda. None hold a candle to the caliber of player Cook is.
Cook would make the Jets better. No doubt.
But this season doesn't hinge on what he decides to do.
General manager Joe Douglas cut his teeth in the Baltimore Ravens organization under Ozzie Newsome. He learned there the importance of removing emotion from the negotiating table. Every free agent is assigned a value. Those who can help his team are pursued, but only up to that value. He has no problem letting players walk once that number is exceeded.
Case in point: The Jets pursuit of Odell Beckham Jr. The Jets made the then-free-agent wideout a contract offer. The deal was worth up to $14 million, but had $5 million tied to per-game roster bonuses. When the Ravens offered Beckham a true $13 million, with an easy route to $15 million, Douglas bowed out. Their deal was better. It was more than he was willing to pay. He didn’t pay it.
It’s a dangerous game to operate differently. And Douglas won’t for Cook. The Jets offer is their offer. It’s on Cook to accept or decline.
Among the most intriguing aspects of this pursuit is the lingering uncertainty of Cook’s true intentions. It’s been clear the Miami Dolphins are his preferred destination from the moment his Minnesota Vikings tenure ended. He went to Florida State. He grew up in Opa-locka. Miami, though, is a similar situation as the Jets: They don’t need Cook. And, at this point, their rumored offers to him reflected that.
The Dolphins are in the Jets’ division. The Jets are the only other team really vying for his services. What better way to up the offer from your desired destination than by flirting with the possibility of joining their bitter rivals? That could be what Cook was trying to do when he spoke so glowingly of the Jets on NFL Network’s "Good Morning Football". It wouldn’t be the first time, nor the last, a player used the Jets as leverage.
Only this time the Jets have leverage of their own. Carter, Knight and Abanikanda might not be the same player, but the three are more than capable of keeping things steady until Hall returns. The line’s improvement, along with actual competence at quarterback with the arrival of Aaron Rodgers, alleviates much of the pressure off the backfield.
Or maybe that’s not the case. Maybe Cook truly does want the Jets, and this is just about finding a way to make the dollars make a bit more sense. This visit, which included a physical, will uncover all the Jets need to know.
But ultimately this is going to fall on Cook.
The Jets won’t pay necessity's price for luxury.
