The Denver Broncos were believed to be a potential landing spot for free-agent running back Dalvin Cook. Now that he’s available to be signed by any team at any time, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Via Mike Klis of 9News.com, the Broncos “do not appear to be in on” Cook, who was officially cut by the Vikings on Friday.
Broncos coach Sean Payton has made clear his desire to have an abundance of options at the position. That was his practice in New Orleans, even when the team had spent the second overall pick in the draft on tailback Reggie Bush.
For the Broncos, newcomer Samaje Perine is expected to be a major contributor, and the Broncos are hoping third-year option Javonte Williams will continue his recovery from a torn ACL, so that the workload can be split.
Klis expects the Broncos to add another running back or two, but it sounds like it will be someone at the lower end of the depth chart, not a player of the caliber of Cook.
If the Broncos did indeed have interest in Cook, it’s possible that the interest fizzled once they became aware of Cook’s financial expectations.
It’s unclear what he wants, but he’d make $2 million from the Vikings if he doesn’t play at all this year. The offer presumably needs to be sufficiently more than $2 million to make it worth Cook’s while not to sit and wait for the season to end -- and for budgets and cap dollars to replenish.
