Dalvin Cook Is Cooked
January 3rd, 2024
Toast.
Joe knows a bunch of Bucs fans still pine for somehow, someway, Dalvin Cook coming to the Bucs. He is, you may have heard, looking for work after the Jets washed their hands of him.
If a garbage organization like the Jets can’t find use for Cook, that is a major, major red flag on the four-time Pro Bowl running back. Like an air raid siren.
Former NFL Network reporter Lindsay Rhodes put out a Twitter yesterday with damning stats on Cook.
Simply put, Cook is cooked.
Nothing about those numbers that suggests Cook would be an upgrade over Rachaad White. Yes, Joe knows the Jets have a horrid offensive line. But those numbers show Cook is done.
One of the great Bucs mistakes in the post-Chucky era was drafting O.J. Howard over Cook when the Bucs needed a running back so badly Joe could have cried in public on the sidewalk in front of One Buc Palace. Lord, the Bucs needed Cook. But then-Bucs coach Dirk Koetter had fallen head over heels for Howard, who was nothing more than a luxury pick because tight end Cam Brate was putting up Pro Bowl numbers.
Howard seemed more play-ah than player. He had crazy skills but seemingly could never harness them consistently.
Just when it looked like he was blowing up in Tom Brady’s first year here, Howard blew out his Achilles and he wasn’t remotely the same player after that.
Howard signed last offseason with Las Vegas and he was cut on Aug. 1, which is damning for a veteran. Couldn’t even make it to the first worthless preseason game.
Joe long ago considered the Howard-over-Cook 2017 draft by the Bucs as water under the bridge. Why? The Bucs got a Super Bowl since that draft. The Vikings didn’t. Scoreboard: Bucs.
For Joe, Howard will be remembered by two plays: His failed attempt at a Magic Johnson behind-the-back dribble against the slimy Saints, and Howard’s bare-handed catch of a foul ball at a Rays playoff game.
Howard is out of football. It appears Cook may be on his way, as well.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:02 am
People make it sound like the Bucs were the only team that drafted someone else besides Dalvin Cook. The truth is he got passed over 40 times, until he was the 41st pick in 2017 by the Vikings. Honestly, I’d be okay with the Bucs signing him, although he’s probably not even as good as Chase Edmonds at this point.
OJ Howard was a frustrating player, for sure, with the drops, etc., but I’ve moved on, just like I’ve moved on from all of the other Bucs draft picks that didn’t make it. All NFL teams have 1st Round busts and misses, it happens every draft.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:31 am
Dalvin was one of the FSU players we should have taken. Yes, we won a Super Bowl, but you never know what may have happened either way. Water under the bridge, yes – maybe. However, the option is there again. Maybe the Bucs would be the right fit for Dalvin now.
January 3rd, 2024 at 4:49 am
Bucs only have 1 regular season game left. White’s healthy & so is Edmonds. We’ll surely be drafting a RB this year, and there are always plenty of quality RBs available for relatively low $$$ in free agency. If Cook is really cooked … pass.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:17 am
We already have a Baker. May as well bring in a Cook and what the heck let’s bring back Ndamukong Suh….you can’t run a quality restaurant without a sous chef. While we are at it; let’s see if Jack Ham and Coy Bacon have any offspring that we can lure in. CeeDee Lamb may also be worth looking at from a trade perspective.
January 3rd, 2024 at 5:48 am
Fishhawkbuc: Punter would be Mitch Berger, Bubba Franks (and beans) at TE.
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:32 am
His stats say he’d fit in great.
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:38 am
rojo is the right fit next year actually with white…
white does what he does, but is definitely not a power back who hits the hole hard…
rojo hits the hole like a steam truck from what i remember…if that rojo is available to spell white, i’d bring him in for a look see next season…
and i do like edmonds in relief a little…but nothing to get attached to
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:43 am
rojo should still have a heck of a lot of tread on those tires…
i’m still convinced brady needed “his guy”, and there was a definite battle to see who would be “his guy”…his trusted back…
and rojo was without a doubt the odd man out in that scenario…and thus quickly became a man without a country
ie kc, dallas
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:47 am
also oddly enough, rojo was terrific in space when catching the ball early in his arrival here…then that changed to the dropsies under tommy b…
but he is a guy who hits holes so much harder than white, and can be used in the screen game almost identically if necessary – and if you can live comfortably with more drops…
if i’m senor licht, i bring him into camp as a potential piece
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:55 am
realistically he has about 2 seasons of nfl tread on his tires in total, over like 6 years..
and his body of work accumulates to about 2 full seasons worth of work as a feature back…
look at his career numbers…he is work a re-look…
you don’t need to draft a back if you bring him in…he’s got a ring here…and he doesn’t need to be paid a big contract – if things pan out you have your “other” back for 2-3 years possibly…
unless he’s a pothead or something…i dunno
January 3rd, 2024 at 6:57 am
below are his career stats, which equates to as i said about 2 seasons of work as a feature back:
SUMMARY
Career
G
61
Rush
505
Yds
2244
Y/A
4.4
TD
19
January 3rd, 2024 at 7:01 am
LOL
Your running back envy is legnedary Joe!
Go Bucs!
January 3rd, 2024 at 7:44 am
Ohhh fishhawk, you are so clever 👏 👏 👏 gtfoh smh
January 3rd, 2024 at 7:57 am
I think a change of scenery and a playoff team in the mix would motivate him.
January 3rd, 2024 at 8:36 am
I don’t think Dalvin is cooked. I think his offensive line was worse than the bucks offensive line. I think a change of scenery and a playoff game would be a lot of motivation for him.
January 3rd, 2024 at 8:58 am
I really don’t understand how his career tanked. He was a great player two years ago and he’s only 28. I’m not making the case for the Bucs to sign him. I’m just shocked his physical drop off was so significant that the Jets couldn’t make use of his talents.
January 3rd, 2024 at 9:03 am
Reuniting Dalvin and Jameis would have been something to see at the time.
I have never been so upset at a Draft Pick as I was that day on the field at RJS when Cook was on the board, Jameis needed a running back, and the Bucs name was called.
This blown pick is right up there with Mark Barron & Gaines Adams.
January 3rd, 2024 at 9:03 am
Dalvin is Cooked is less of a mouthful and sounds less clumsy
January 3rd, 2024 at 9:09 am
Joe always uses Gaines Adams as an example of what meaningless wins do for you. Late in the season the Bucs beat the Browns (circa, 2007). That win knocked the Bucs out of the running for Joe Thomas and Calvin Johnson, both Hall of Famers.
Instead, the Bucs settled on Gaines Adams. So that “win” was a major loss for the Bucs. But damn if you don’t have all sorts of people screaming not trying to win a meaningless game is a “loser mentality.” No, the loser mentality is playing yourself out of a chance to draft a Hall of Fame player instead of a stiff.
Mark Barron was one of the first red flags that Lovie Smith was incompetent. Rams trade for him, Jeff Fisher turns him into a linebacker and the dude made a Pro Bowl as a linebacker.
January 3rd, 2024 at 9:20 am
@ Joe
“Nothing about those numbers that suggests Cook would be an upgrade over Rachaad White.”
Nobody is saying Cook is a better RB over R. White…
But Cook is certainly an upgrade over Sean freaking Tucker – No?
January 3rd, 2024 at 9:24 am
No one ever hold Licht responsible for anything..
It’s always the coaches fault….
Licht blew that pick drafting Howard over Cook…simple as that.
January 3rd, 2024 at 10:02 am
I remember NOSBOS blew a gasket when we picked OJ instead of Cook.
January 3rd, 2024 at 10:04 am
If you use that type of logic Mayfield was cooked too.
January 3rd, 2024 at 10:11 am
Can’t remember who the guy was but whenever Joe typed the Bucs didn’t need nor should draft O.J. Howard because the Bucs already had a productive tight end, this guy would go bananas. Every day he had six or eight posts claiming O.J. Howard was the greatest tight end since Kellen Winslow, Sr. and if the Bucs passed on him it would be the worst mistake they made since passing on Earl Campbell. On and on and this guy went wild daily.
January 3rd, 2024 at 10:24 am
This is a surprising take from you, Joe. You always root for Bucs wins, or so I thought. How did the Browns and Lions do with their Hall of Fame picks? Did they win any playoff games with them?
Deliberately tanking games is bad for fans, players who depend on contractual incentives, players who are trying to put on good film, it’s bad for the culture of the team. It’s bad for coach’s careers. It’s bad all around.
The Bucs played to lose the last game in 2014 and what did it get them? A #1 overall draft bust.
January 3rd, 2024 at 10:31 am
Joe always said if you aren’t playing for the playoffs, you should be playing for the draft.
Put yourself in a GM’s seat. When rebuilding a team — and when you are picking at the top of the draft, you are trying to rebuild a team — would you try to build a team with better players or lesser players?
Surely you can’t be suggesting the Bucs were better off with Gaines Adams as opposed to Joe Thomas or Calvin Johnson?
January 3rd, 2024 at 10:53 am
So what is really behind Cook’s decline? Got to be something more than just the Jets sorry oline. This is falling off a cliff. Injury? BeCame a head case?
Speaking of FSU player. PLEASE Licht, do NOT draft ANY players that opted out of the Orange Bowl. Huge red flag. Character, selfishness, poor teammate.
Speaking of Licht. OJH was his third worse mistake. Drafting the placekicker was second worse. JTS was the very worst. Still a B- GM overall.
Please correct me if I am wrong but didn’t JTS opt out of the Covid season? That is a sissy red flag IMO.
January 3rd, 2024 at 11:13 am
Same as vast majority of all running backs. They have very short shelf lives.
January 3rd, 2024 at 8:19 pm
I’d grab Cook in a heartbeat. We need someone who actually can run between the tackles. Comparing this bad season with a horrendous team to his past seasons is like judging Mayfield on his seasons with the woeful Browns or dreadful Panthers especially considering this year’s sample is for a whopping 67 carries over the entire season. Far too many people made that mistake this year including the many so-called fans here at JBF.
January 3rd, 2024 at 9:02 pm
Rachaad averages 3.6 yards per carry this year, last I saw. Cook’s track record suggests he’d be an improvement over that, imo.
Ronald Jones had breakaway ability I have not seen White display. Several long runs in Tampa were called back due to penalties.
White is good to have around. He can do a little of everything. Like Benny Malone or some other average player from league history.
January 3rd, 2024 at 9:20 pm
Forget about skipping Dalvin Cook for OJ Howard……TJ Watt was still on the board when we picked OJ. Let that one sting a little.
January 4th, 2024 at 9:17 pm
Cook is still one of the best 5-6 RBs in the league. He can’t help but make stupid decisions though. He didn’t at all fit the kind of offense the Jets were running and they already had talented RBs there who DID FIT.
Cook is the type of back that needs to an opening because he’s not going to break tackles in the backfield. Once he gets into open space he’s as good as there is in the NFL as far as breaking it… I realize White has a similar skillset, but Cook would’ve been a tremendous upgrade because he has better vision, instincts, balance, and explosiveness.