EAGAN, Minn. -- In truth, the post-Dalvin Cook era has been taking shape for months at Minnesota Vikings headquarters.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been speaking in neutral terms about Cook's future since the combine in February. He has repeatedly declined to confirm that Cook will be on the Vikings' 2023 roster.
In March, Adofo-Mensah re-signed No. 2 running back Alexander Mattison to a contract that guarantees him $6.35 million over the next two seasons, a deal that would be awfully pricy for a backup. Mattison later said he returned in part because of an "understanding how it's all laid out and how it's all going to work out.