Even though Cook, 28, has been a free agent for more than two months, he still provides the Jets with one of the best defensemen in the game. He’ll head to Gotham with a streak of four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons under his belt. New York hasn’t had a 1,000-yard rusher since Chris Ivory in 2015.
The Jets thought they had a guaranteed 1,000-yard runner preseason with the brilliance and running back of Breece Hall, but the running back’s dynamic season was halted by a torn ACL.
Suddenly, a question mark in the Jets’ backcourt should be answered by one of the best tandems in the league if Cook and Hall can work together at full speed and well.
At the very least, the addition of Cook should allow Hall to tread carefully on his path to recovery. Aside from Cook and Hall, the Jets also host third-year Michael Carter, and second-season supporter Pam Knight, who have shown plenty of promise in the past as well.
Cook will need to acclimate to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s offense and pick off any rust, of course. He said on GMFB that he’s been working in Florida since his release by the Vikings.
Another concern is that Cook’s career was riddled with injury problems, as he played in just 15 games over his first two seasons. However, it is notable that he played in all 18 of Minnesota’s games in 2023 (including the playoffs), marking the first time he had played a full season. Although Cook’s yards per attempt (4.4) was a career low, he still proved he’s every bit a versatile running back, capable of hitting home runs, grinding out hard yards and lending a helping hand to outfielders.
The current excitement surrounding the Jets’ attacking potential increased with the addition of Cook – along with hope and hype.
