Dalvin Cook Threatens Holdout; Reportedly Wants More Money Than McCaffrey

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Dalvin Cook will be holding out of training camp and possibly beyond, if he doesn’t get a contract extension and massive raise. Obviously, this would a huge blow to the Vikings if a Cook holdout were to linger into the season. This should not come as a surprise to the Minnesota Vikings front office, however.

Pro-Bowl RB Dalvin Cook no longer will participate in any team-related activities until and unless he receives a “reasonable” deal, a source said Monday.

“He’s out,” a source told ESPN. “Without a reasonable extension, he will not be showing up for camp or beyond.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 8, 2020

Dalvin is currently scheduled to be the 38th highest paid running back in 2020. Star running backs like Jamaal Williams, Mike Davis, and Brian Hill all scheduled to make more than he is.

Hopefully this doesn’t turn out to be a Le’veon Bell or Melvin Gordon situation from the past two years. All I ask is that GM Rick Spielman and Co. work some salary cap magic to make this happen.

Eric actually wrote about that a couple months ago, after Dalvin Cook was on his podcast, Bleeding Purple. He believes the deal will look a lot like Christian McCaffery’s, but slightly less. He puts year 1 of a new deal at about $6-7 million against the cap.

I refuse to believe Dalvin Cook will run footballs for the #Vikings under a 2020 contract that pays him as a backup… so what should/can Rick and Rob pay him??? https://t.co/mGUwyxcyk2

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) April 15, 2020

Cook already has an extensive injury history, in his short career. But there is no denying the elite-level of talent he brings to the field, when healthy. Cook has accrued 2104 rushing yards, 17 total touchdowns, and 4.6 yards per rush in 29 career games.

If Eric is right on the compensation… then Dalvin’s team will have to move quite a ways from where they are now (according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin).

and in time following the draft, the reason for an impasse in negotiations is over the number Cook is looking for. Sources have told me the ideal figure is north of what Christian McCaffrey is making ($16 mill/year), but it does not seem the Vikings want/can be in that ballpark.

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) June 8, 2020

Well THAT could be a problem.

Cameron Thompson | Minnesota Sports Fan