Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook wants to get paid before the start of the 2020 season on Sunday. But the engine of the Vikes' offense won't hold-in if that doesn't come before kickoff against division rival Green Bay.
"If Coach Zim calls my name, I'll be out there," Cook said Wednesday, via the Minnesota Star Tribune.
The Vikings and Cook broke off contract talks in the middle of August as sides couldn't agree on compensation for the second-round pick who has not played a full 16-game slate in three years.
"I've never been a guy to look at this guy or look at that guy," Cook said. "Everybody is human. You go out and bust your tail and do what you've got to do and you expect a reward to come behind that. I just hope the Vikings and my agent come to an agreement of a deal that values me. Until then, I've just got to wait my turn."
The 25-year-old running back said he's still holding out hope of landing that new, big deal, but won't let that hinder his performance in 2020.
"It's just like if I value you as a person, I would treat you such as I value you," Cook said. "It's the same thing with me. I'm going to give 1,000% on the field, every time I walk in the building, every time I'm out in the community. It's kind of the same thing. Like I said, I just hope both sides come to an agreement so they can value Dalvin Cook on and off the field."
Christian McCaffrey sits atop the RB market making $16 million annually. Ezekiel Elliott is next at $15 million, followed by Le'Veon Bell ($13.1M) and David Johnson ($13M). Derrick Henry is at $12.5 million per year after reaching a long-term deal with Tennessee. And Joe Mixon recently signed a deal worth $12 million per year with Cincinnati.
With the Vikings' recent trade for Yannick Ngakoue, the team is up against the salary cap, which makes a Cook contract more difficult to get done soon -- unless the RB takes a deal that doesn't inflate his salary cap in 2020.
If sides can't reach a long-term deal, the Vikings could use the franchise tag on Cook to keep him in Minnesota at least one more year.
