NFL insider reveals when a decision could be made by Dalvin Cook

All eyes are on free agent running back Dalvin Cook as he weighs his options of where to play in 2023. Following his release from the Minnesota Vikings, the four-time Pro Bowler has had no shortage of suitors for his talents.

Still, with a month before training camp starts, Cook has shown he is willing to take his time rather than rushing into a decision. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero joined The Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday, where he explained that waiting it out could lead to a bigger contract for Cook.

“There’s four weeks until training camp and I do not believe that that’s really a hard deadline in the mind of Dalvin Cook or his agent,” Pelissero said. “They can afford to be patient here. The best money may come whenever teams realize that maybe their rookies aren’t ready or maybe there’s an injury that happens. But this is also not a situation where he doesn’t have offers. Dalvin Cook has multiple offers right now. He’s gonna command a significant contract. I don’t think he’s taking a big discount to go to Miami or any place else. He’s in control here because he’s just that rare player that transcends the market.”

Dalvin Cook was set to make a $10.4 million base salary in 2023 that would have increased to $11.9 million in 2024 and $12.9 million by 2025. The Vikings wanted to restructure his contract, but Cook refused, leading the team to release him. He is reportedly seeking around the same amount he was supposed to make had he stayed in Minnesota.

The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets are two teams who have been mentioned as potential landing spots for Cook. The draw for Cook to join the Dolphins is that Miami is his hometown and he also played college football in Tallahassee at Florida State. The Jets, however, added veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers to a talented young roster and are also in need of a running back with Breece Hall still recovering from an ACL injury.

Other teams Pelissero brought up include the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears and Arizona Cardinals. The point is, Cook isn’t waiting on teams to call. The timetable for him to make a decision basically comes down to when he receives an offer he likes.

“Guys like this just don’t become available in June,” Pelissero said. “So if I had to guess, I would say we probably have an answer prior to the start of training camp, but that’s no guarantee. He could take this into August if he want to and take some mileage off his body.”