Cook, 28, has been a free agent for more than two months, but he still provides the Jets with one of the best backs in the game. He would go to Gotham with four consecutive 1,000-yard 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 1,000-yard rusher with Brees Hall’s intelligence and exposure a season ago, but the dynamic back’s season was cut short by an ACL tear.
Suddenly, if Cook and Hall combine at full speed and health, a question mark in the Jets backfield could be answered as one of the league’s best tandems.
At the very least, Cook’s addition should allow Hall to tread carefully on the road to recovery. Beyond Cook and Hall, the Jets also have third-year running back Michael Carter and second-season rusher Bam Knight.
Cook will have to acclimate himself to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s offense and shake off any rust. At GMFB he said he has been working in Florida since being released by the Vikings.
Another concern is that Cook’s career has been riddled with injury problems, as he played just 15 games in his first two seasons. However, it is notable that he played in all 18 of Minnesota’s games in 2023 (including the playoffs), the first time he played in a full season. Although Cook’s yards per attempt (4.4) were a career low, he still proved to be multi-tool in every area, able to hit home runs, grind out tough yards and lend a helping hand out of the backfield.
The excitement already surrounding the potential of the Jets offense has increased with Cook’s addition — with optimism and excitement.
