3 dark horse teams that could trade for Dalvin Cook in 2023

Who are a few teams from around the NFL that could fly in under the radar and make a trade for Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook this year?

Over the course of this offseason, there have been a few NFL teams that have been frequently mentioned as potential landing spots for running back Dalvin Cook if the Minnesota Vikings decide to move on from him.

Some of the teams that have been pointed to over and over again as Cook's possible next destination include the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, and Denver Broncos.

Sometimes, however, the final landing spot for a departing player isn't always the obvious one. So who are a few dark horse teams from around the NFL that could end up as the surprise winner in the Dalvin Cook sweepstakes this offseason?

Let's start with one squad from the NFC South that added a fan favorite from Minnesota's 2022 offense to their roster earlier this year.

Team No. 1

Carolina Panthers

Back in March, the Carolina Panthers added a bunch of new pieces to the offensive part of their roster, including longtime Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen.

In addition to Thielen, the Panthers also signed former Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders in free agency. Sanders is expected to get the bulk of the carries during the upcoming season, but the depth behind him on Carolina's roster isn't exactly ideal.

Chuba Hubbard is currently on track to open the 2023 season as the Panthers' No. 2 running back. Hubbard is decent in change-of-pace moments, but Cook would be a major upgrade over him if Carolina was able to acquire the Minnesota running back.

If the Panthers landed Cook, then they might not have to put so much of the workload on Sanders' shoulders. Carolina would be able to utilize both running backs and use each of them to keep the other one fresher for a longer period of time in each game.