Is Delvin Cook To Miami Dead?

Before the 2023 NFL draft there were rumors that Minnesota Vikings RB Delvin Cook was linked to Miami in a trade. The Vikings were shopping Cook all this off-season but were unable to make a trade. Why? Well, as we know in this day and age of player contracts their agents negotiate no trade clauses or something similar that gives players the leverage to decide where they want to go. 

Delvin Cooks contract is an issue for the Vikings, Cook’s contract is a five-year, $63 million deal that is fully guaranteed. His average annual salary is $12.6 million, and the contract contained a $15.5 million signing bonus. In 2023, Cook’s contract is set to count for $14.101 million against the Vikings’ salary cap, with $10.4 million in base salary. That might be one reason it is hard to trade Cook. 

Some teams that are primed to make a SB run just might want him and be willing to pay the price needed to get him. A team like Buffalo for example? The Atlanta Falcons have also been rumored to have interest in the Pro-Bowl RB as well as the Bears and Bronco’s. 

The draft has come and gone, and no trade happened…. why? 

Well remember what I said earlier Delvin Cook has the leverage as to where he can be traded because he would have to agree to restructure his contract for a trade to take place and as RUMOR has it Delvin Cook who is from Floridia born and raised, went to College at Florida State (2014–2016) wants to come home to Florida and specifically to the Miami Dolphins. 

The Dolphins are always closed lipped on any deals in the works, but they did have conversations with the Vikings before the draft about a trade. The Vikings have zero leverage in this because if Cook is set on only playing for Miami it will force the Vikings to strike a deal with Miami or outright Cut Cook on or before June 1st from what I understand. 

Miami in the meantime drafted an RB in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL draft and to some that means that Miami should no longer be interested in Cook. Is that the case?  

Reason Why Miami Should Still Be Interested 

Miami’s roster is loaded with pro bowl players and their RB room is full (7 RB’s), they re-signed all 4 RB’s from last year this offseason and drafted one this past weekend but if you look at the contracts they signed their RB’s too Myles Gaskins and Salvon Ahmed agreed to one year deals and all of them have contracts with very low to no guaranteed money so Miami can move on from or trade anyone of them with no issues. 

Ask yourself why Miami wouldn’t be interested in an RB who finished the 2022 season with 264 carries for 1,173 rushing yards, both of which ranked sixth in the league.  

That was Cook’s fourth career with at least 1,000 yards rushing, tying Robert Smith for the second-most 1,000-yard rushing seasons in franchise history. The 27-year-old now ranks third in team history in career rushing yards with 5,993. His 47 rushing touchdowns rank fourth most in franchise history, trailing only Adrian Peterson (97), Bill Brown (52) and Chuck Foreman (52). (See Link Here) 

The Dolphins are serious about making a SB run, they have pushed all their chips to the center of the table and there is no way they would not add a talented RB like Cook to this roster and I can assure you that Delvin Cook will eventually be in a Dolphins uniform very soon. 

Fins Up!