April 18, 2023
The Eagles' running backs room is currently missing a workhorse, a proven ball carrier and lead back after the team let Miles Sanders walk in free agency.
Perhaps that is by design, as the Eagles have mostly operated a by-committee approach at RB since the LeSean McCoy days. Or maybe there is another move coming.
A few isolated rumors have circulated since the offseason began, including word that Ezekiel Elliott bizarrely had the Eagles on his wish list of teams to go to after the Cowboys elected not to bring him back. If you believe the sportsbooks, perhaps there is another former stud RB who might be on the Eagles' radar.
With the cash-strapped Vikings contemplating moving on from Dalvin Cook (they have Alexander Mattison ready to take on his starting gig), the Eagles have emerged with the third-best odds of signing the 27-year-old who has achieved much by way of fantasy football lure.
The below comes courtesy of bookies.com:
| Team | Odds |
| Dolphins | +250 |
| Vikings | +300 |
| Eagles | +450 |
| Cardinals | +600 |
| Patriots | +750 |
| Bears | +1000 |
| The rest | +700 |
It's interesting that the Vikings are second on the odds list above. Also, the Eagles are the best team, and really the only contender listed, though the Dolphins should be in the playoff mix again in 2023.
The Eagles currently have Boston Scott, Kenny Gainwell and newly signed risk/reward Rashaad Penny under contract (along with project Trey Sermon). Do any of those guys sound exciting?
Penny, when healthy, can be a beast and if he is, the Eagles think he'd be a perfect compliment for the more shifty smaller backs in Scott and Gainwell. Many mock drafts are connecting the Eagles No. 10 overall pick to Bijan Robinson, though our own Jimmy Kempski and other NFL insiders think he would be a stretch with the pick.
Perhaps, if the price is right, the Birds would take a chance on a proven back who could add another element to the Eagles offense in Cook?
Through six NFL seasons, Cook has a healthy 4.7 yards per carry average. He's strung together four straight 1,000-yard seasons, and has 52 combined touchdowns. Also — importantly to Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense — he can catch the ball out of the backfield. Cook has 221 career receptions (37 per season).
Here's more on his potential availability, via Bleacher Report:
The Minnesota Vikings are leaving "all options" open when it comes to star running back Dalvin Cook, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
"I'm told all options are on the table here and that he could be released closer to the draft if things don't work out," Fowler said Saturday on SportsCenter. "They had talked to at least one team about a trade in the past closer to free agency, so he is certainly a name to watch."
Cook has three years remaining on his five-year, $63 million contract.
[...]
Cook is due to have the third-highest salary cap hit ($14.1 million) for a running back in 2023. The Vikings also have the second-most money ($22.4) tied up in the position, per Spotrac.
Trading Cook would save the team $7.9 million, with $6.2 million on the books in dead money for 2023. Waiting until after June 1 to deal him would net even bigger savings ($11 million) while spreading the dead money equally across the next two years. [BR]
Cook makes sense, if he is cut, for the Eagles. And if they have cap space to have a little fun and bring in the four-time Pro Bowler on a team friendly deal, it could yield some impressive results. In free agency, Cook would have his choice of jobs and the Eagles one, behind one of the best offensive lines in the game, has to be seriously considered.
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