Dalvin Cook says having healthy shoulder will make 'big difference'

Former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is on the open market, still looking for a new NFL team after the Vikings released him earlier this year. And a healthy shoulder could help Dalvin Cook land his next gig.

The talented former Florida State star has been plagued by shoulder issues the last two seasons but underwent surgery this offseason to repair a torn labrum.

He recently joined The Adam Schefter Podcast to discuss what Dalvin Cook with a healthy shoulder could mean career wise.

“It’s going to be a big difference, man, not just it being in my head anymore,” Cook said. “Just me going and playing football and being me. For people that’s going through like a similar situation, you should get your shoulder done or not, it’s always in the back of your head when you take any carry. When you get the ball it’s always in your head, like ‘My shoulder could possibly come out.'”

That constant worry over the shoulder weighed on Cook over the last two seasons.

You’d hardly know based on Cook’s performance, though. He’s had four straight seasons with more than 1,000 yards rushing, finishing with 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground in 2022, while adding 39 catches for 295 yards and two more scores.

Still, Cook feels like the shoulder surgery will free him up to run wild again.

“Me getting it done, it’s like now it’s over,” Cook said. “Now I can be Dalvin Cook back to Florida State Dalvin Cook and just turn it loose, be me. And just have fun. Man, I’m just ready to go have fun.”

Schefter followed up on just how big Dalvin Cook’s healthy shoulder could be, as Cook will obviously garner heavy interest this offseason from teams needing a little help in the backfield.

He’ll have a somewhat hefty price tag, but it could be well worth it in the event he is able to turn it up a notch with the newly healthy shoulder. Dalvin Cook at 100% is a versatile weapon.

“It wasn’t really bothering me like as far as like pain wise or anything, that was never the case,” Cook said. “It never was the case like pain wise. It was just a case of like, ‘Man, it could come out, I’ll have to sit out a week, get it back strong, get it back tight, then I’ve got to come back and there’s all the questions around that.’ So just not going through that no more is going to be a positive for me.”

Cook has rushed for 5,993 yards and 47 touchdowns in 73 NFL games over the last six seasons. He was a second-round pick by Minnesota in the 2017 NFL Draft.