3 teams that could trade for Dalvin Cook during the 2022 offseason
By Luke Parrish
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons found a gem in Cordarrelle Patterson during the 2022 season. His emergence as a running back opened things up for the Falcons while also keeping them from dwelling near the bottom of the league’s standings. That was without star wide receiver Calvin Ridley who stepped away from football for personal reasons early in the season.
Ridley’s future is up in the air with the Falcons and there are rumors swirling that Atlanta could be looking for a trade partner. Kyle Pitts is already one of the top pass-catching tight ends in the NFL after just one season, so the need for Ridley is not as desperate as it appeared a year ago.
Minnesota has a major decision looming with Adam Thielen. Unless the veteran takes a significant pay cut, he could very well be on his way out of town. Calvin Ridley is a younger option who is set to make roughly the same money in 2022 as Dalvin Cook.
The Vikings could reach out to the Falcons and offer a one-for-one swap with Ridley coming to Minnesota and Cook taking on the lead role in Atlanta. Ridley is one of the best route runners in the NFL and pairing him with Justin Jefferson would make the Vikings offense incredibly dangerous.
It would also open things up for a potential deal for Adam Thielen or even a straight cut, which would free up about $5 million in 2022. If Atlanta wants a home-run hitter at running back as they transition to a young quarterback, going after Dalvin Cook seems like a perfect fit.