Much has been made this offseason in regard to Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook's desire for a new contract.
While that's a development that needs to be addressed, another new development has been Gary Kubiak taking over as Vikings offensive coordinator following Kevin Stefanski's hiring as the newest Cleveland Browns head coach.
So, will Cook be the centerpiece of Kubiak's Vikings offense?
Coming off his best season yet, Cook looks to be poised for more greatness under Kubiak as a look into the numbers, provided by NFL Research suggests.
In 15 of his 22 seasons as an offensive coordinator or head coach, Kubiak has produced a 1,000-yard rusher, per NFL Research.
Of course, Cook is coming off a season in which he averaged 118.1 scrimmage yards per game -- which was second-most in the NFL -- and had career-highs in rushing yards, receiving yards and total touchdowns. So, perhaps it's a pleasant enough prognostication for the Vikings that Cook will simply keep up his stellar play under Kubiak.
It would seem that Cook's contract situation would need to be worked out before anything else, but if Cook gets his way it might not be the best step forward in terms of productivity -- at least as it relates to current NFL trends. Per NFL Research, nine of the NFL's top-10 rushers in 2019 were on their rookie contracts -- including Cook. The one exception was the Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott. Elliott, Carlos Hyde and Mark Ingram were the only 1,000-yard rushers -- out of 16 total -- last season who weren't on their rookie contracts.
As it sits now, Cook is set to make $1.3 million in base salary in the last season of his four-year rookie contract as the Vikings selected him in the second round of the 2017 draft.
Then again, should Cook's contract woes grow more woeful, perhaps that bodes well for Alexander Mattison, who had 462 rushing yards in 2019 at an impressive 4.6 yards per tote.
Seasons With 1,000 Rushing Yards
With Gary Kubiak as Head Coach/OC
(Per NFL Research)
HOF Terrell Davis 4
HOU Arian Foster 3
DEN Clinton Portis 2
DEN Mike Anderson 2
NFL 4 Others 1
