Vikings Rumors: Dalvin Cook not expected to be released

Typically, Minnesota Vikings rumors aren't too frequent at this point in the offseason. But the Vikings still haven't made a decision about the future of Dalvin Cook on their roster, and it's a problem that could be solved any day now.

Among the latest Minnesota rumors related to Cook is something from The Athletic's Alec Lewis. On Monday, Lewis shared his belief that if the Vikings were going to release the running back, they would have already done it. Instead, he thinks Minnesota is planning to do one of two things

"If the post-June 1 cut was the obvious way to handle Cook’s situation, the Vikings could have made that move months ago. But it’s not because the benefits would be minimal. Most of Cook’s money resides in his base salary.

Several months ago, the Vikings could have cut Cook normally, absorbed his dead-cap hit, and then used the nearly $6 million of cap savings toward signing a high-end free agent. Instead, Minnesota has waited, opting instead to secure Cook via a pay cut or trade him for future draft capital."

Vikings Rumors: Chances of Dalvin Cook returning to Minnesota seem higher than ever

With some of the roster moves made by the Vikings this offseason, such as re-signing Alexander Mattison and drafting DeWayne McBride, most have assumed that Cook won't be a member of the team by the time the 2023 regular season begins.

But as more time passes, the chances of Cook returning to Minnesota for the 2023 campaign appear to be rising. Things could change, of course, but it currently wouldn't come as a surprise if the veteran running back is back on the field in a Vikings uniform next season.

If Cook returns, it will be interesting to see if Minnesota uses him any differently in 2023. The Vikings have placed an emphasis this year on attempting to improve their chances of having a more efficient rushing attack next season, and despite rushing for over 1,100 yards for the fourth-straight year, Cook was one of the most inefficient running backs in 2022.

But before any potential changes to their run-game strategy are made, the team must first figure out if Cook will be returning for another season in his purple and gold No. 4 jersey.