Report: These AFC East teams among top contenders for free agent Dalvin Cook originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Dalvin Cook is the best remaining NFL free agent now that DeAndre Hopkins has signed with the Tennessee Titans, and there are several teams reportedly interested in signing the veteran running back.
A couple of them are in the AFC East.
FOX Sports’ Henry McKenna reported Friday that “There have been six teams interested in the former Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowler, with the Jets, New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins looking like the top contenders.”
The Jets make sense as a potential landing spot for Cook.
Talented second-year running back Breece Hall is working his way back from an ACL tear suffered during his rookie season. The Jets acquired star quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the offseason and already had an impressive group of wide receivers. Adding a running back of Cook’s caliber could make New York’s offense quite potent.
The Dolphins reportedly already offered Cook a contract, but he didn’t find it acceptable enough to sign. Cook was born in the Miami area and played college football at Florida State, so signing with the Dolphins would represent a homecoming for him.
The Dolphins have elite playmakers at wide receiver with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but they don’t have anywhere near the same talent at running back. Adding a strong pass-catching running back like Cook would also help Miami improve its 36.2 percent conversion rate on third downs last season, which ranked 24th in the league.
The Patriots could use Cook, too. Rhamondre Stevenson is the clear No. 1 on the running back depth chart, but it would behoove the Patriots to ease his workload after he shouldered a lot of responsibility for the offense in 2022.
The Patriots are keeping their options open, though. They reportedly brought in free agent running backs Leonard Fournette and Darrell Henderson in for visits this past week. It’s also possible the Patriots don’t sign a veteran and bank on 2022 draft picks Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris shining in a larger role this season.
Either way, it looks like Cook could potentially find his way to the AFC East over the next couple of weeks. If that happens, it would make one of the strongest divisions in football even more competitive.