Though Cook, 28, was a free agent for more than two months, he’s still providing the Jets with one of the top backs in the game. He’ll head to Gotham with a string of 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 surefire 1,000-yard runner a season ago with the brilliance and emergence of rookie Breece Hall, but the dynamic back’s season was stopped by an ACL tear.
Suddenly, a question mark in the Jets backfield could presumably be answered with one of the best tandems in the league if Cook and Hall can team up at full speed and health.
At the least, Cook’s addition should allow Hall to step carefully on his road to recovery. Beyond Cook and Hall, the Jets also house third-year back Michael Carter and second-season rusher Bam Knight, who have showed promise aplenty in the past, as well.
Cook will need to acclimate himself to offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s offense and knock off any rust, of course. He said on GMFB he’d been working out in Florida since his release by the Vikings.
Another concern is Cook’s career has been dotted with injury problems, as he played in just 15 games over his initial two seasons. However, it’s notable that he played in all 18 of Minnesota’s games in 2023 (including playoffs), marking the first time he played a full season. Though Cook’s yards per attempt (4.4) were a career low, he still proved to be every part a multi-tool back, able to hit a home run, grind out the hard yards and lend helping hands out of the backfield.
The already present excitement surrounding the Jets offense’s potential has increased with the addition of Cook — right along with the hope and the hype.