Jets add Dalvin Cook while Giants shape their offensive line
The long speculation ended on Monday when Dalvin Cook became a New York Jet.
For weeks, the four-time Pro-Bowl running back seemingly had focused his options on the Jets and his hometown Miami Dolphins after spending his six-year NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings. The Jets reaffirmed their commitment to making a Super Bowl run this season by signing Cook to a one-year deal worth up to $8.6 million.
He now allows Breece Hall, who was arguably the leading candidate for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award last season before tearing his ACL and meniscus in his left knee on October 23 in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos, to gradually build his strength and endurance.
Ultimately, Hall’s teammate, Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, was named Rookie of the Year.
The combination of the 28-year-old Cook and Hall could eventually emerge as the best backfield tandem in the league. Hall, drafted 36th overall by the Jets out of Iowa State in 2022, returned to practice on Tuesday after being activated from the physically unable to perform list (PUP). He was well on his way to exceeding 1,000 yards rushing a season ago before his injury. The Omaha, Nebraska, native had 463 in seven games.
Cook ran for 1,173 yards last season and had 39 catches for 295 yards receiving. The last time the Jets had a 1,000-yard rusher was Chris Ivory (1,070) in 2015.
The Giants backfield will also be led by Saquon Barkley, like Cook, one of the elite performers at his position in football. But both the Jets and Giants are still endeavoring to shore up their respective offensive lines, critical to the success of both teams.
Giants rookie John Michael Schmitz had a promising showing versus the Detroit Lions last Friday in his team’s 21-16 preseason opening road loss. A second-round pick (No. 57) from the University of Minnesota, Schmitz is expected to help stabilize an evolving front that is led by left tackle Andrew Thomas, the fourth overall pick by the Giants in 2020. Thomas was named Second-Team All-Pro after a stellar 2022 campaign. He was rewarded with a five-year, $117 million deal in July.
The Giants hope right tackle Evan Neal has a comparable trajectory. The Alabama product, drafted No. 7 last season, possesses the necessities to be an elite tackle but struggled as a rookie. He was diagnosed with a concussion sustained at a Giants practice on August 4 and remained in concussion protocol at the start of this week’s practices.
The Giants host the Carolina Panthers tomorrow at MetLife Stadium in the second of their three scheduled preseason games. The Jets will be at MetLife on Saturday to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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