Vikings Rumors: Minnesota looking to shakeup their running back room

Among the recent Minnesota Vikings rumors is one that indicates the team has been trying to trade Dalvin Cook and re-sign Alexander Mattison.

There are Minnesota Vikings rumors all over the place at this time of the year, and one of the most recent rumors has to do with the top two running backs from the team’s 2022 roster, Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Sunday, multiple teams from around the NFL believe the Vikings have had trade discussions this offseason that involve Cook. Fowler also added that Minnesota is attempting to re-sign Mattison, who is currently scheduled to become a free agent this year.

The Vikings have already said goodbye to a pair of fan favorites in Adam Thielen and Eric Kendricks this offseason. Could Cook be the next one to go?

Will the Minnesota Vikings choose Alexander Mattison over Dalvin Cook for 2023?

When it comes to picking between Cook and Mattison, money seems to be the biggest factor. Cook currently has a cap hit of more than $14.1 million for 2023, and the running back is reportedly not interested in taking any sort of pay cut this year. Meanwhile, Mattison’s projected market value from Spotrac has him earning a contract that pays him slightly more than $2 million per season.

Cook has been Minnesota’s starting running back for all four of Mattison’s seasons in the NFL. But the Vikings are clearly willing to give their longtime backup running back a chance as a full-time starter in 2023, especially since he would likely come at a much cheaper price.

If Minnesota were able to move on from Cook and re-sign Mattison this offseason, they would also still have Ty Chandler and Kene Nwangwu in their running back room to work with for the 2023 campaign. We could potentially see a more collective effort from the Vikings’ offensive backfield in 2023 if Cook is shipped elsewhere.