Dalvin Cook schmoozed with Woody Johnson on the sidelines with “Hard Knocks” cameras lurking overhead as Aaron Rodgers did his Aaron Rodgers things on the practice field Sunday.
The mere sight of Cook on the sidelines ignited chants of “Dal-vin Cook” and “Sign that contract!” from Jets fans.
Rodgers has lobbied for Cook, and we have seen time and time again that what Aaron Rodgers wants Aaron Rodgers gets … shy of an immediate equity stake in his new team.
Rodgers is now the EF Hutton — when EF Hutton talked, people listened — of quarterbacks.
Cook, 28 on Aug. 10, has enough tread left on his tires to make the Jets better. His would-be addition, however, would not in and of itself guarantee the superteam Cook has talked about.
Cook — at the right price — would make sense.
I’ll leave the right price up to GM Joe Douglas rather than GM Aaron Rodgers, who understandably might not be inclined to give himself another pay cut to accommodate Cook.
Bengals running back Joe Mixon accepted a $4.39 million pay cut that reduced his 2013 salary to $5.51M, with the potential of $2M in incentives this season. Mixon, the 48th pick in 2017, turned 27 last week. Cook was the 41st pick in that draft.
Cook, clad in a white short-sleeve shirt, has been rushing from one studio to the next interviewer in an attempt to drum up interest for any highest-paid suitor in the latest sorry saga of The Devalued Running Back.
“Call it a meet-and-greet,” Robert Saleh said.
Saleh indicated that signing Cook to keep him away from a meet-and-greet with the Dolphins or Patriots was not a factor, but if Cook’s surgically repaired shoulder is cleared, you’d rather play with him than against him, wouldn’t you?
“We’re focused on us and how we can make ourselves better?” Saleh said. “How does this all fit? If you check the box in making yourself better, it fits the right way and we’re doing what’s best for this organization, then you make the right decision. But to make decisions to spite another team, you’re just asking for it.”
Cook has declined (5.0 yards per carry to 4.7 to 4.4 last season) but he can still be a big-play threat who can be a weapon in the passing game. Only Derrick Henry (125.7) has averaged more scrimmage yards per game since 2019 than Cook (110.7).
Of course, with running backs these days, it’s not so much what have you done for us lately, but what can you do for us today and tomorrow?
What Cook could do for the Jets is ease the early-season burden on Breece Hall, whose torn ACL last Oct. 23 is expected to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, and give Saleh and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett a 1-2 tandem that would be the envy of most of the league. Asked about Hall, Saleh said: “He’s coming up quick. He’s coming along good.”
Once Hall overcomes the inevitable mental hurdle of that left knee, he would be the 1A and Cook the 1B.
Rodgers finds comfort in experienced professionals who know how to play the game and have been through the NFL wars. Cook has a streak of 1,000-yard rushing seasons from 2019-22. He has caught 210 passes since 2018. Trust is imperative for Rodgers. See Randall Cobb. See Allen Lazard. See Billy Turner.
Tight end Tyler Conklin played with Cook in Minnesota. Cook came out of Florida State with red flags, but he was an offensive captain his last three years with the Vikings. Cook also reportedly offered his ex-girlfriend $1 million to clear him of abuse allegations from a Nov. 19, 2020 incident. Her personal injury lawsuit against Cook is set for trial next year, and Cook’s defamation lawsuit against her is also pending.
“Obviously he’s a special talent, a helluva running back and obviously [we] already have a helluva room, so if they think it makes sense, it’s always good to be able to add another great player,” Conklin said.
Asked what makes Cook special, Conklin told The Post: “It’s similar to Breece, just being a three-down back I think is the big thing, especially in today’s world, right? He can play in pass-pro, he can catch the ball out of the backfield … four 1,000-yard seasons in a row … speed-wise he’s about as dynamic as it can get when he gets in the open field. He’s a complete back.”
Cook toured the Atlantic Health Training Center facility, where Hall and Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight and rookie fifth-round pick Israel Abanikanda were waiting in the dark about whether they would have to make room in the RB room.
Knight, a revelation last season, inspired a roar from Jets fans when he burst around left end and down the sidelines where Cook was standing. Carter is determined to show he is better than he showed a year ago and the rookie has promise.
“Love the running back room,” Saleh said. “We do have four really good ones, so there is some competition already between Izzy [Abanikanda], Michael and Bam [Knight] to try to get that third spot, or the two and three spots if you will, but what I have actually been loving with the run game is our offensive line.”
Signing Dalvin Cook would give Saleh a chance to love the running back room even more.
