4 reasons why the Vikings might not extend Dalvin Cook

Running backs aren’t worth big money

The running back position in the NFL is one that has become a bit devalued in recent seasons. The biggest reason why is that plenty of “no-name” backs have found success filling in for the starters.

Another reason is that the NFL has become a passing league and most teams win because they have elite quarterback play and not because of a strong ground game.

In recent seasons, we have seen backs like Chris Carson, Phillip Lindsay, and Raheem Mostert find success in the NFL. Each of these guys was either undrafted or very late-round picks. Despite being drafted late or not at all, they have all found success in the league.

The success of these three and others similar to them gives teams the belief that running backs can be found basically anywhere and since that’s the case, there’s no reason to invest a large portion of the salary cap on someone in their offensive backfield.

There’s no question the NFL has become a passing league. The teams with the best quarterbacks are the ones who seem to win.

Teams also have gone away from having one featured running back in their offense and many use a rotation of backs to keep them fresh throughout each game.

While the Vikings do love to run the ball, they also have a great quarterback in Kirk Cousins at their disposal and plenty of weapons for him to utilize. So there’s no reason for Minnesota to invest heavily in Dalvin Cook, no matter how good he is, as they could just convert to more of a passing-based offense without him on the field.