The proposed trade would set the Vikings back $7 million.

The Minnesota Vikings are a third of the way through the season and still lack a proper running game.

Minnesota will be able to move the ball up the floor more than ever with Justin Jefferson out for the next few weeks with a groin injury. The Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline represents the Vikings’ best opportunity to improve their frontcourt, including reuniting with one of their former bowlers.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported on Saturday, Oct. 21, that the New York Jets are trading Dalvin Cook, who played his first six seasons in Minnesota.
“Dalvin Cook’s return …
could be used due to his low usage on this team,” Russini wrote.

Cook began his five-year tenure with the Vikings earning Pro Bowl honors in each of his final four seasons.
Minnesota signed him to a five-year, $63 million contract extension in September 2020.
But Cook played two seasons under that contract before the Vikings released him this summer to save salary.
Cook spent time in free agency before signing a one-year, $7 million contract with the Jets. New York’s initial approach was to pair Cook with second-year RB Breece Hall as a two-way running back behind quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
But Rodgers went down in the team’s first game of the season, and Hall has since established himself as the Jets’ most influential offensive player.

Cook carried the ball just 39 times for 109 yards in six games in 2023.
He also caught nine passes for 46 yards.
But after 47 career touchdowns, Cook has yet to find the end zone in his seventh pro campaign.
Cook is no longer needed in New York, but could help the Vikings immediately fix their offense.

Alexander Mattison leads the team with 320 yards on the season.
Mattison has yet to post a 100-yard game in 2023, but he is the only Viking with over 100 receiving yards this year.

Ty Chandler started the season as a backup but produced just 42 rushing yards on the year.
Minnesota traded for former Los Angeles Rams running back Cam Akers in September in an attempt to revive the running game, but he has carried the ball just 11 times for 63 yards in three games since joining the Vikings . Minnesota ranked 29th in the NFL in total rushing yards entering Week 7 with 450 total.
Cook has been familiar with the offensive line and personnel for a long time.
That’s because Mattison served as Cook’s backup for four seasons.
The Vikings extended Mattison in hopes he can make it this season, even if that plan doesn’t pan out.
Minnesota can add Cook for virtually no fee because most of his 2023 salary is a bonus paid by the Jets.
His base salary is just over $1 million, or about $70,600 per game.
That way, the Vikings won’t have to pay game checks until the end of the season.

The Vikings parted ways with Cook because he was too expensive, but now that he’s settled, it makes sense to reunite.
Max Dible covers the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns and Golden State Warriors for Heavy.com.
He covered local and national news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and was news director for BigIslandNow.com and the Pacific Media Group family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy.
Learn more about Max Dibble