Dalvin Cook quickly became a staple of the Vikings offense after the Nathaniel Thurmond Jersey team made him a second-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Florida State product proved to be an explosive playmaker and, over the years, put up some big-time performances in the purple and gold.That said, NFL fans are not going to be able to find Cook on the field during Vikings games in the 2023 season. Why? Because there has been a changing of the guard in the backfield.Alexander Mattison, 25, has taken over as the Vikings' starting running back. He represented a younger (Cook is 28), cheaper option than the veteran and came with comparatively more tread on the tires as well.Still, many will be wondering exactly why Minnesota made the notable offseason change and where Cook is now. Here's what to know about the veteran running back's new digs and the Vikings' decision to part with him.NFL POWER RANKINGS: Cook is no longer with the Vikings, as the team released him in June. Cook ended up joining the Jets and was excited to team up with Aaron Rodgers and take aim at a Super Bowl.Obviously, that plan didn't Brad Wanamaker Jersey work out too well for Cook. Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles four snaps into the Jets' Week 1 game against the Bills and will mi s the season because of it. Now, Cook is left to co-lead the Jets backfield alongside uber-talented Breece Hall as New York tries to fight to remain in playoff contention.But why did Cook leave the Vikings in the first place? There were a few key reasons that the Vikings decided to move on from him ahead of the 2023 NFL season.Dalvin Cook's statsCook was a talented running back during his time with the Vikings, and he posted at least 1,135 rushing yards in each of his final four seasons with the team. As such, many might not believe that Cook's stats were part of what led to his release.However, a deeper dive showcases that while Cook has been productive over the last four seasons, his efficiency has waned over the last three. The veteran running back has seen his yards per carry average sink from 5.0 during the 2020 season to 4.4 in 2022.YearCarriesRushing yardsRush TDsYards per carryReceptionsReceiving yardsReceiving TDs20203121,557165.044361120212491,15964.734224020222641,17384.4392952Cook's numbers were certainly still respectable, but considering that he was entering his age-28 season, it's reasonable that the Vikings were worried about his regre sion continuing. And given what they were set to pay him in 2023, it's no surprise that they were willing to part with him Kelly Oubre Jr. Jersey .IYER: Dalvin Cook's contractThe bigger i sue with Cook was that he was still set to play on the five-year, $62 million extension that the Vikings had given him in 2020. The veteran running back was set to earn $14 million during the 2023 season, and that would have made him one of the highest-paid running backs in the league.Minnesota had an interest in keeping Cook, but not at that price. Meanwhile, Cook didn't want to restructure his contract, so the Vikings eventually released him to free up $9 million in extra cap space.The Vikings still have $5.1 million in dead cap space or guaranteed money paid to players no longer on the roster allocated to Cook. But overall, they are carrying a much cheaper running back room, and it's one that they happen to have faith in.Vikings' faith in Alexander MattisonBefore the Vikings parted with Cook, they made it clear that they were fans of Mattison. First, the team re-signed Mattison in free agency despite expectations that they would let the fifth-year back walk. Instead, they gave him a two-year deal worth $7 million.That deal didn't guarantee that Cook would be gone. However, as the stalemate between the two sides continued, it gave the team an insurance policy with which they were comfortable behind Cook.And Kevin O'Connell made it clear at Vikings minicamp in late May that he believed Mattison could be a true backfield leader for the team."It's been really good to see Alex Mattison take a few more reps and really show that all three- Draymond Green Jersey down kinda ownership that he's been capable of for a long time," O'Connell said.So, once it became clear that Cook and the Vikings weren't going to agree on restructured compensation, the Vikings released him to free up cap space. Having Mattison, a 25-year-old on a cheap deal who had averaged 4.1 career yards per carry during his career, played a big role in Minnesota being comfortable with that decision.WEEK 2 NFL PICKS:|Cook ended up signing with the Jets largely for one reason: He wanted to win."Im a part of a great group right now, Cook said after joining the Jets, per . Im looking forward to go win a bunch of games with these guys."Of course, Cook also had another desire. He wanted to play with Aaron Rodgers, against whom he had Mychal Mulder Jersey squared off regularly during their NFC North days. Why?"Being on the other side of that for the last six years I couldn't be on the other side no more," .Unfortunately, Rodgers' season-ending Achilles tear will put a damper on the latter point. Still, the Jets will look to make a playoff push behind their elite defense, and their running game will take on an increased importance with Zach Wilson at quarterback.So Cook can get used to seeing a lot of touches. He and Hall will likely be heavily involved in that offense moving forward.
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