5 former Vikings players the team could bring back in 2023

Former Viking No. 5

Dalvin Cook - RB

The Vikings recently released Dalvin Cook, but what if they actually look to bring him back? This may seem far-fetched at the moment, but a few months back, Minnesota held on to Cook a little longer than many expected, saying they "wanted to do right by Dalvin." Perhaps this philosophy will keep the door open for him to come back at a lower price.

The Vikings really don't need to bring Cook back unless another running back suffers a season-ending injury in camp. Minnesota is a passing team under Kevin O'Connell and will always run second. They can get by with Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, and even rookie DeWayne McBride carrying the rock.

It'll be interesting to see if they'll keep Kene Nwangwu, but if any of those four go down and Cook is still available, then he may continue to rise up the Vikings' all-time rushing list as he returns for another season in purple.

Cook was making too much money, but there were plenty of times he provided the spark Minnesota's offense needed. He had key runs in the victory over the Buffalo Bills and in the comeback win over the Colts.

He definitely had times when he was too easily tackled, and the turf monster would grab him, but those explosive plays are still there. It's a long shot, but don't rule out Cook coming back to the Vikings until he inks a deal with a new club.