A couple of weeks after new star cornerback Jalen Ramsey went down with a knee injury, the Miami Dolphins have suffered another blow to their Super Bowl hopes.
Superstar running back Dalvin Cook has reportedly signed with the New York Jets after weeks of speculation that he was considering joining the Fins.
Four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook is signing with the #Jets on a one-year deal, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
Cook always wanted to land in New York. Now he teams up with former NFC North rival Aaron Rodgers, with all eyes on a Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/6wlXhYPXIc
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 14, 2023
Cook is an absolute stud, and in the last four seasons, he has run for over 1,100 yards while making the Pro Bowl each year.
Joining the Fins seemed appropriate for Cook, given that he’s originally from Miami. Instead, he will head to the Tri-state area and fortify a new-look Jets team that has very high hopes.
New York traded for future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers during the offseason, and it also brought in Allen Lazard, one of Rodgers’ favorite targets the last couple of years while with the Green Bay Packers. In addition, the Jets also have offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who was Green Bay’s offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021.
As a result, the AFC East will be extremely competitive, and it is entirely possible that Miami will face an uphill climb to simply make the playoffs this season.
Ramsey was supposed to shore up a defense that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns allowed last season. Instead, the Dolphins may have to win more with offense and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s arm while he is out.
Tagovailoa blossomed last season, and although he flamed out in December and January, there is hope that he is indeed the real deal.
The Dolphins do have some impressive weapons of their own that the Jets cannot match. Tyreek Hill is one of the league’s very best wide receivers, and in 2022, he had a career-high 1,710 receiving yards to go along with seven touchdowns.
His running mate Jaylen Waddle also had a strong year with 1,356 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
