The Achilles injury suffered by Aaron Rodgers and the rise of Breece Hall, a second-year running back, made Dalvin Cook expendable in the eyes of the New York Jets
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With just 67 forgettable carries in 15 lackluster games, Cook was released by the Jets on Tuesday, allowing the four-time Pro Bowler to join with a another team before the playoffs. The top five locations for Cook to land are as follows:
1. The Ravens of Baltimore
The season-ending injuries that befell J.K. Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell aside, the Ravens lead the NFL in rushing with an average of 159.7 yards per game. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill have each produced well for Baltimore, even if Lamar Jackson accounts for a large portion of that total. But instead of relying on a single workhorse back, the Ravens run game is successful because each player brings a unique skill set to the table and the team plays RB by committee.
With Edwards and Hill, Baltimore would likely be alright in the playoffs; however, adding Cook to that rotation adds even more concern to an already dangerous Ravens offense. With given room and time, Cook can run, catch, and bring any play inside.
ther tool to relieve Jackson of some of the pressure.
2. The Cowboys of Dallas
Tony Pollard is just 65 yards shy of 1,000 yards this season, but the Cowboys need a better No. 2 option than Rico Dowdle, who has only amassed 315 yards on 80 runs. Pollard hasn’t been as effective as they had planned. Dallas’ depth at wide receiver is worrisome. After Pollard and Dowdle, the team’s running yards have mostly come from quarterback Dak Prescott (242 yards) and two receivers, CeeDee Lamb (106 yards) and KaVontae Turpin (105 yards).
Despite Cook’s lackluster performance in New York, the situation’s unique circumstances—poor quarterbacking, Hall’s breakout year, the team’s throwing
QB Dak Prescott (242 yards) and two receivers, KaVontae Turpin (105 yards) and CeeDee Lamb (106 yards).
Cook didn’t have a particularly fruitful season in New York, but that can be attributed to the unique conditions of the game, such as poor quarterback play, Hall’s breakthrough campaign, the team’s decision to pass more than run because it was trailing, etc. In actuality, Cook is a four-time Pro Bowler who, before to joining the Jets, had four seasons in a row with 1,100 or more running yards. Even while he may not be precisely the same player as he was during those four years, he is still a huge improvement over Dallas’ current roster.
3. The Buffalo Bills
Buffalo’s position is similar to that of Dallas in many ways. Dalvin’sJames, Dalvin’s brother, is third in the league in terms of rushing (1,086 yards), but he has very little support. Although Latavius Murray has gained 30 yards on 79 attempts and quarterback Josh Allen is the second-leading rusher for the Bills with 457 yards, it would be wise for the team to add some insurance for the postseason.
With 236 receptions, 1,872 yards, and five touchdowns in his career, Dalvin is a valuable receiver out of the backfield who might also help limit James’ workload a bit, keeping him fresher for when the team needs him most. Also, Allen may get fewer carries and hits during the playoffs if a different capable RB is added.
4. The Browns of Cleveland
There has only been a single 100-yard rushing game between Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt since Nick Chubb’s season-ending knee injury. Only Ford has completed four top-15 carries, making him the only person to accomplish so. Although they have 13 touchdowns apiece, Ford and Hunt only average slightly more than 50 yards per game in the running game.
Joe Flacco is the quarterback for the Browns, and with the team now riding high on Flacco, he will need all the support he can get when the postseason rolls around and he faces elite teams like the Chiefs, Texans, and Jaguars rather than the Bears and Jets. Cleveland would gain a three-headed monster out of the backfield and another explosive player in Cook.
