Dalvin Cook to Browns? Reunion with former coach seems logical after Jets departure

After parting with the New York Jets on Tuesday, the Cleveland Browns seem like a logical landing spot for former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook.

In his first NFL season outside of the Minnesota Vikings organization, things really couldn't be going much worse for veteran running back Dalvin Cook.

Cook was signed by the New York Jets before the start of the 2023 season, and he was expected to add another dynamic to their offense. Instead, Cook was barely utilized, and now, the Jets have waived Cook heading into the final game on their 2023 schedule, according to multiple reports.

New York moving on from the former Vikings running back now allows him to join a playoff team that believes they could make the most of his skills.

Could the Cleveland Browns be interested in former Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook?

One team to keep an eye on as a potential landing spot for Cook is the Cleveland Browns, and this potential partnership makes a lot of sense thanks to the past relationship between the running back and Kevin Stefanski.

Before he was hired to be the Browns head coach in 2020, Stefanski was Minnesota's offensive coordinator in 2019 when Cook was also a member of the Vikings.

With Stefanski calling the plays, the veteran running back was able to experience a bunch of success. In 14 games with Minnesota in 2019, Cook rushed for 1,135 yards and 13 touchdowns (4.5 yards per carry) in addition to catching 53 passes for 519 yards.

So, if there is anyone in the NFL who knows how to properly utilize Cook, Stefanski is that guy. The question just becomes whether Cleveland and their head coach believe they need to add Cook to their roster before heading into the playoffs next week.

The Browns lost Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury back in Week 1, and they've been rolling with Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt in their backfield ever since.

The combination of Ford and Hunt has resulted in Cleveland heading into Week 18 with the 11th-best rushing attack in the NFL. Despite the success of the duo, the Browns might still want to add a veteran like Cook before the playoffs in case either of their top two running backs suffers an injury in the near future.

A few other teams that could be interested in adding the former Vikings running back before the postseason include the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, and Baltimore Ravens.