Dalvin Cook next NFL team updated odds: Jets hosting Pro Bowl running back Sunday and new favorites to sign Cook; Bills fading from picture
The New York Jets are the new betting favorites to sign Dalvin Cook.
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Back on Monday, the New England Patriots were +150 favorites to sign former Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook. However, Cook is visiting the Jets this weekend and apparently DraftKings oddsmakers don't think they will let him leave without a signed contract, as they are the new -200 favorites to sign him. The Pats have dropped to +400.
Take this for what it's worth, but Craig Carton of FS1 reports Cook will meet with the Jets on Sunday (NFL Network's Tom Pelissero has confirmed that part) and New York metro area is his "preferred destination," with only $1 million separating the two sides. Last weekend at his annual football camp, Cook said "you can't rush this" but now all teams are in camp. Perhaps Cook is waiting for some leverage, potentially after an injury to a starting RB on another team.
Do the Jets need Cook? Maybe not, but he'd provide great insurance just in case second-year running back Breece Hall is slowed a bit in his rehab from a torn ACL, although by all accounts Hall will be ready for Week 1. Hall was sensational as a rookie before going down. He's started camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, but that's more of a paperwork thing, at least in this case. Michael Carter, Zonovan Knight and fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda are on the depth chart behind Hall.
Coach Robert Saleh said Thursday that Cook's visit is not an indication that Hall isn't close to a return, and that Hall looks "fantastic" and is trending in the right direction. The Vikings released Cook in early June after he rushed for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022. The Jets have some money to spend after the team created salary cap space by restructuring Aaron Rodgers' contract. Rodgers voluntarily took a $35 million pay cut on his two-year deal so the team can keep adding talent.
New York's schedule is ridiculously hard before a Week 7 bye: Home vs. Buffalo, at Dallas, vs. New England, vs. Kansas City, at Denver and vs. Philadelphia. Those are all 2022 playoff teams but the Broncos and Pats. Denver figures to be much better in 2023 with a massive upgrade at coach in Sean Payton, and New England should have a functional offense again after bringing in Bill O'Brien to replace Joe Judge and Matt Patricia. Adding Cook as early-season insurance for Hall with that slate might be wise.
If Cook does sign with the Jets, he will have to face his younger brother James, a running back for Buffalo, twice in 2023. He'd also face his hometown Miami Dolphins twice. The Dolphins have made an offer, but it's not what Cook wants. If the Raiders truly believe Josh Jacobs would sit out the season, they could go hard after Cook.
DraftKings favorites to sign Dalvin Cook (Monday odds/Thursday odds):
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