Dalvin Cook signs one-year deal with New York Jets

For six seasons, Dalvin Cook and Aaron Rodgers faced off against one another twice a year in NFC North divisional matchups. Now, they’ll be sharing the same backfield.

On Monday, Cook, the third-leading rusher in Minnesota Vikings history (in terms of yardage) signed a one-year, $8.6 million deal with the New York Jets. That’s right around what he would have been scheduled to make with the Vikings had the team not released him shortly after the start of the new league year.

From the time the 2022 season came to an end for Minnesota, they looked for a trade partner for Cook, but a combination of not being able to find a partner willing to give up adequate compensation and Cook (reportedly) being unwilling to restructure his deal to facilitate a deal led to him being released. He put up his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard season for the Vikings in 2022, rushing for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns. He also added 295 yards and two more scores through the air.

Cook signing with an AFC East team means that there isn’t likely going to be a “Dalvin Cook revenge game” in 2023, as the Vikings played. . .and defeated. . .all of the AFC East teams last season and won’t face the entire division again until 2026. So, unless the Vikings and the Jets should meet in this February’s Super Bowl, Cook is going to have to wait until 2024 to get a crack at his former employer.