Dalvin Cook cannot seem to stay healthy during 2018 season
By Jason Parker
After Dalvin Cook missed most of his rookie season following a bad injury to his knee, the former FSU football star will miss yet another game this week.
During the 2017 NFL Draft, one of the biggest moments came when former FSU football star Dalvin Cook – who was arguably one of the best running backs in college football over his three seasons in the game – fell out of the first round based off things not pertaining to the game and was taken in the second round by the Minnesota Vikings.
Three games into his rookie season with the men in purple, it looked as if Cook would be in the running for Rookie of The Year in a span that included over 120 yards in his first ever game and a touchdown in game three. It was in game four against Detroit where he added a second touchdown – but also saw his season come to an end with a serious knee injury.
Through the offseason, Dalvin Cook impressed all with what seemed to be a recovery that indicated he wouldn’t miss many steps in his return to the field. But through the first four weeks of the 2018 season, it has been anything but good if you’re a fan of Cook.
Having already missed one game in the first four this season, Dalvin Cook has been hampered by injuries while running for just 98 yards on 36 carries – a disturbing average of less than three yards a carry after running for just 20 yards last week against the Los Angeles Rams.
For week five against the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of last year’s NFC title game, Dalvin Cook will again be on the sideline with a hamstring injury that should have any Vikings fan or fan of Cook himself worried about what the future holds.
There is no doubt that when healthy, Cook has the potential to be one of the better young backs in the league. But if he keeps getting the reputation of being injury prone, he won’t be long for the league as someone will take his spot and no team is going to want to sign him.
Next. FSU Football in the NFL: 2018 Season Week 5 Schedule. dark
I’m not saying that he should out and play injured – and so far it seems as if the Vikings are just playing a cautious role in the whole thing – but it’s a dangerous look in a league that loves to talk about player safety, but doesn’t give players time to truly get healthy from an injury before casting them away.