The Cincinnati Bengals and running back drama and speculation has been a theme this offseason so far.
Next up on the docket? A report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said the Minnesota Vikings could end up cutting star running back Dalvin Cook before the draft.
Naturally, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport followed up by listing the Bengals as one of the best locations for Cook if he hits the open market:
Unfortunately, the time is also now for quarterback Joe Burrow to receive a massive contract extension. And between that extension, a down year (3.9 yards per carry) from running back Joe Mixon, a 2023 cap hit of $12.8 million and an offseason misdemeanor charge of aggravated menacing, there has been speculation that Mixon’s time with the team could be up.
We said “naturally” above because the Bengals would find it hard to scoff at one of the NFL’s best running backs at the right price. Cook, after all, has 46 touchdowns and 1,300-plus yards in each of the last four seasons.
Right now, it seems like the Bengals will keep Joe Mixon and pair him with Trayveon Williams. A rookie could enter the fray and the team could always surprise and move on from Mixon’s big cap hit, but the conservative approach seems likely now.
Still, it makes sense to list the Bengals as a spot for Cook. If he were to be in the same general area of cap hit as Mixon’s current 2023 number, he would represent an upgrade for a team that wants to win championships now.
