The Dalvin Cook era in New York has not started well and already New York fans are regretting their excitement for the move.
Through two games, Cook has rushed for 40 yards on 17 attempts for an eye-watering 2.4 yards per attempt. Cook’s numbers get worse when looking at advanced analytics where he’s only ahead of new Vikings running back Cam Akers in rush yards over expected per attempt: Cook has a -1.7 to Akers’ -1.94.
Cook’s poor early returns have some in New York already wanting out with Justin Fried of The Jet Press saying it’s “time to end the Dalvin Cook experiment.”
Dalvin Cook ranks among qualified RBs through 2 weeks:
• PFF rushing grade: 41/45
• Yards per attempt: 40/45
• Yards created after contact: 36/45
• Elusiveness rating: 25/45
• RYOE: 41/45Not to harp on it, but he’s once again been one of the least efficient RBs in the NFL
— The Jet Press (@TheJetPress) September 18, 2023
This isn’t a new development for Cook. This is who he was last season when his yards per attempt dropped for the third straight season and he finished with -21 rush yards over expected and a dismal -0.08 rush yards over expected per attempt. That’s a complicated way of saying the metrics suggest he was below average.
“Cook is a shell of his former self and does not provide significant value to the Jets,” writes Fried. “The Jets fell for fool’s gold, and they’ve paid for it so far this season.”
National media pushed all the underlying numbers aside in their offseason hype for Cook and the Jets. In a sports media landscape that lives off quick overreactions, this one was foreseeable from those who watched more than just one Vikings game last season.
