Report: Vikings releasing RB Dalvin Cook

The Minnesota Vikings are releasing veteran running back Dalvin Cook, per Tom Pelissero. The move is expected to become official at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, when Cook will be able to sign with whatever team he chooses. The Vikings are still able to look into trade partners ahead of this self-imposed deadline. Despite all of the NFL experience he has, the running back is just 27 years old. Minnesota will save $9 million in cap space but carry $5,101,272 in dead money, per OverTheCap.

Cook is expected to have multiple teams interested in signing him, including the Miami Dolphins and the Denver Broncos. He heads into his seventh NFL season after being selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Minnesota. Cook has played in 73 career games and has tallied 5,993 career rushing yards with 47 touchdowns. He has added 221 receptions on 287 targets for 1,794 yards and five more scores. Cook finishes his Vikings’ career as the team’s third all-time leading rusher, following Adrian Peterson and Robert Smith.

Minnesota will turn to Alexander Mattison as its presumptive starter for the 2023 season. Cook now joins veteran running backs Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette as free agents looking for a new team ahead of September. Whatever team signs him will roster a running back that has been to four straight Pro Bowls, and rushed for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns a year ago.