Getty New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh reacting on the sideline during an NFL game.
The New York Jets could get two for the price of one.
Free agent running back Dalvin Cook revealed on “The Adam Schefter Podcast” that it would be “something epic for the NFL” if he and fellow free agent DeAndre Hopkins ended up “on the same roster.”
The Minnesota Vikings released Cook on June 9 and the Arizona Cardinals cut D-Hop on May 26. Both players are free to sign with any NFL team of their choosing at any time.
Cook’s Social Media Activity Causes Stir on Jets Twitter
On Monday, June 19 Cook had a very interesting like on his Twitter page.
Pat McAfee tweeted out a 3:54-minute video talking about all of the energy that is currently in the Jets building. Cook liked the video and social media was set ablaze. McAfee himself retweeted my screenshot of Cook’s social media activity to his 2.8 million followers on Twitter.
On Tuesday, June 20 Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic confirmed that the Jets are “exploring the possibility of signing” the suddenly available running back to a contract.
When head coach Robert Saleh was asked about the team’s potential interest in Cook on June 9 he said, “Obviously we’ll turn the stones over on that one.”
Cook when discussing what he is looking for in his next team on “The Adam Schefter Podcast” said, “I just want to go contend for a Super Bowl right now.”
The Jets have the seventh-best odds at +1600 to win the Super Bowl, according to Bet MGM.
Cook is seeking a “significant contract” on the open market according to NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero. That is something the Jets could afford however there might be a reality where Cook takes less money to have a better chance at a Lombardi.
NFL Media Personality Connects Hopkins to Jets
Longtime NFL media personality Charles Davis was recently going through some potential destinations for Hopkins in the latter stages of free agency.
At the end of the segment, he wanted to throw one more possible team in the mix to his co-host Paul Burmeister.
“The last one I’m going to throw at you Paul, this is one I’ve just been thinking about. I just wonder if Joe Douglas, the GM of the Jets, is done yet,” Davis wondered about on “The 33rd Team.”
Davis said he has heard the stories about Aaron Rodgers “not wanting to work with a ton of young receivers” and suggested Hopkins could be the solution.
“DeAndre Hopkins doesn’t qualify as young but he qualifies as Hall of Fame. I think Aaron would like that a lot because if you’re the Jets you still gotta get through Buffalo, Miami, [and] New England. The more weapons you have for that quarterback in this short amount of time the better,” Davis explained during the video segment.
“So I just wonder if Joe Douglas who has not been afraid of making a deal, might be one of those off-the-radar teams that we haven’t talked about yet.”
When Saleh was asked essentially the same question about the team’s potential interest in Hopkins he seemed to shoot it down saying “Nah” we love our current group.
However, it is important to note he also said he loved his running back room at the NFL’s owner meetings and now the team is investigating Cook in free agency.
The moral of the story is you can never trust what coaches say at press conferences.
So there might be a chance that the Jets walk away with both Cook and Hopkins this offseason. Gang Green has the fifth most cap space in the NFL with $23 million, per Over The Cap.
I say go get both baby! Dalvin Cook is more likely in my eyes between the two, but I could see a Hopkins signing making a TON of sense!