Patriots A Good Fit For 4-Time 1,000-Yard Running Back

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo created the perfect combination of veterans and “young bulls” in the offseason. The Patriots will look different in 2024, but the team can still add a talented running back.

Dalvin Cook was on the Patriots radar last year. He didn’t join the 2023 roster, but this signing can actually happen this season. Signing another option behind Rhamondre Stevenson seems like a good plan for the team.

NFL analysts are skeptic about Cook’s signing. He didn’t shine in 2023 which gives the Patriots a chance to sign him at a lower price.

“I’ve got it all,” Cook said in April via KPRC 2 reporter Aaron Wilson. “The tools are still here. I didn’t really get no reps last year. So, the legs are fresh, so the resume speaks for itself. I’m still Dalvin Cook.

“I’m still that guy. For me, I don’t like to toot my own horn. I just like to go out there, put my helmet on and line up on the grass.”

Patriots could benefit from the talented running back at a low cost

Cook had four 1,000-yard seasons in the first six seasons in the NFL. He made four Pro Bowls and led the Minnesota Vikings to the playoffs in two occasions.

DALVIN COOK TAKES IT 81-YARDS FOR THE TD 🤯

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/yWHyJ8F7sv

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 13, 2022

The Vikings parted ways with Cook in 2023 after his performance dropped. He joined the Jets in August 2023 via a one-year deal worth $7 million. The running back rushed for 67 attempts for 214 yards, averaging 3.2 yards per carry, and scoring zero touchdowns. The Baltimore Ravens didn’t mind any of this and actually signed him for the playoffs. In a single playoff game with the Ravens, Cook scored 23 yards on eight carries. His 19-yard run helped the team beat the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round.

“I think last year was really like a learning curve for me,” Cook told Wilson. “I got kind of itchy at the time it was coming, the season. It was where I wanted to go and now it’s about the opportunities are going to come.”

Cook is available at the market and NFL analysts believe that he could be an ideal option for Mayo’s new-look roster.

“Yeah, you always have to be prepared for the opportunity,” Cook told Wilson. “For me, I’m a veteran in the league. I know what it takes to be successful in this league. I know who Dalvin Cook is and I know how I want to perform and what I want to do. Like you said, stay ready, so you ain’t got to get ready.”