Dalvin Cook, Vikings may be heading toward a split after latest development

This isn’t even the first time Hiller has been critical of the Vikings. He sent a series of tweets last season again criticizing the play calling during Minnesota’s Week 10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Cook’s future in Minnesota is still a mystery as the team has made it clear they’d like the 27-year-old tailback to lower his $14.1 million cap hit — something Cook has said he’s not open to doing.

“Right now, as we sit here on Feb. 7, Dalvin is not inclined to take a pay cut,” Vikings insider Darren Wolfson said on the SKOR North podcast. “My sense is, right now, Dalvin has told some people close to him that ‘Hey, there’s no reason for me to take a pay cut.’ If the Vikings want to, there can be a trade market out there.”

Should the Vikings trade Cook pre-June 1, they’d save $7.89 million after eating $6.2 million in dead cap money. However, a post-June 1 trade would cost just $3.1 million in dead cap but save Minnesota $11 million.

Cook is coming off a 1,173-yard, eight-touchdown season in 2022. He has four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons in which he made the Pro Bowl each year. The former second-round pick is also a factor in the passing game as well, contributing 34 or more receptions in five of his six NFL seasons.

The Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins are all in the market for a running back, and the Cincinnati Bengals, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants could find themselves in need of a starting RB pending their respective situations with Joe Mixon, Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley.