Jets to waive four-time Pro Bowl RB

Nearing the end of a disappointing campaign for both team and player, the Jets are moving on from Dalvin Cook. The Pro Bowl back is being waived, per his agency. 

As Tom Pelissero of NFL Network notes, this decision was a mutual one. Cook saw a smaller workload than expected after he elected to join New York in August. That agreement was a one-year contract, and he appeared to provide a veteran option to complement Breece Hall on a Jets offense that faced significant expectations. Things have not gone according to plan for either Cook or his employer, however.

The 28-year-old has not found a notable role in New York’s attack, receiving double-digit carries only once this season. He has averaged 4.5 attempts per contest this season, by far the lowest of his career. On the lookout for a fresh start, Cook asked for a trade ahead of this year’s deadline. By that point, quarterback Aaron Rodgers had suffered a season-ending Achilles tear and Hall had proven his ability to recover in full from last year’s ACL tear. No deal emerged, though, and Cook remained a minor contributor on one of the league’s least-productive units through Week 16.

A report from last month stated the longtime Vikings starter would not ask for a larger share in the offense or to be let go. Despite that, he will now have the opportunity to join a new team by being claimed off waivers or signing with a playoff-bound club. To help make his arrival more feasible from a financial standpoint, Cook has agreed to restructure his pact and forfeit his remaining guaranteed money, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

When on the field with the Jets, Cook did not make the impact many expected he would. The four-time Pro Bowler has not topped the 59 scrimmage yards he posted in Week 1 in any game since, averaging a career-low 3.2 yards per carry. He has not found the end zone in 2023 after scoring double-digit touchdowns in three of the past four years. Increased age (especially within the context of the RB position) and financial factors led to Cook’s Minnesota release, a move which has now proven to be a shrewd one.

Despite Cook’s struggles this season, he will still offer a veteran backfield presence to any team in need of depth ahead of a postseason run. Presuming he clears waivers, the Florida State alum will be free to join any interested team. Helping a new squad’s postseason run would help in the immediate future, but it could also rebuild his free-agent stock to an extent.

The Dolphins were heavily involved in pursuing Cook, going as far as to submit an offer for him before he decided to join the Jets. A homecoming for the Miami native could be on tap in advance of the postseason if interest from the team and player still exists. In any case, Cook will be in a new home the next time he takes the field in the NFL.