Vikings end relationship with Dalvin Cook, will release RB Friday pending trade talks

What has long been suspected will officially come to fruition this week, as the Minnesota Vikings have leaked their intentions to part ways with stalwart running back Dalvin Cook.

Eric Kendricks is a Los Angeles Charger. Adam Thielen will be toe-dragging with the Carolina Panthers. Now, Cook will join them as recently-departed cornerstones of a Vikings era hanging on for dear life. Kirk Cousins says hi.

Per Adam Schefter, the Vikings will take one more day to shop Cook around on the trade market before officially releasing him on Friday. Given the second part of that sentence, it's unlikely that any interested parties will be willing to sacrifice anything of value, given that they'd be able to sign him without parting ways with additional talent just 24 hours from now. Unless they want to cut the line and get him in the building, there isn't much tangible benefit to acting Thursday.

Vikings to trade or release Dalvin Cook this week

Schefter continued by saying that the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos have been monitoring Cook's situation for weeks, and are regarded as the early teams to watch in the ensuing chase. Other teams may yet get involved, but those are the two backfields where Cook seems most likely to wind up.

Of course, it was also recently reported that a Cook-to-the-Dolphins trade was nearly consummated back in March.

Alexander Mattison will more than likely take over the No. 1 role in Cook's stead. He'll have to replicate the work of a four-time-running Pro Bowler with 1,100+ rushing yards in each of the past four seasons.

Of course, nobody wants to be a Pro Bowl participant at the end of the day, though, which is the one step Cook never took as a member of the Vikings. Hopefully, the next incarnation of Minnesota's offense, leaning on Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, can find a way to carve their path through the NFC.