There was some debate about what the Vikings should do about star running back Dalvin Cook.
Cook was a stellar player when he was on the field, but injuries were a question. Minnesota decided to sign him to a big deal this offseason and so far, so good.
Cook had a career year where he had 1,557 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. Cook upped his numbers from his great 2019 season, staying pretty healthy in the process.
For that, he was named Pro Football Focus’ most improved Vikings player. The outlet named a most improved player for each NFL team. Here’s why they picked Cook for Minnesota:
“Cook was widely considered to be one of the most talented running backs in the NFL coming into the season, but after a career year in 2020, he will now be one of the few running backs in contention for being the best in the entire NFL.
Cook’s 90.2 rushing grade in 2020 was over 10 points higher than any previous season in his career, ranking behind only Derrick Henry among running backs this past season. His 1,039 rushing yards after contact and 68 broken tackles on the ground also finished second at the position behind only Henry. As always with Cook, health will be key in 2021 because he’s one of the best runners in the league when he’s on the field.”
Cook had a healthy workload in 2020. His success was undeniable, but there is a question about what the Vikings offense should do going forward. I think Cook is a top weapon for the offense and it was a good decision to keep him around. That said, passing the ball more would make the offense more efficient and make Cook’s job easier. There’s a new offensive coordinator now, so we’ll see if things change.
