Jets TE makes recruiting pitch to Pro Bowl RB
There appears to be mutual interest between the New York Jets and free-agent running back Dalvin Cook, and now it seems some Jets players are hitting Cook with recruiting pitches.
Tight end Tyler Conklin, who ranked second on the team with 58 receptions and 552 receiving yards last season and was teammates with Cook in Minnesota, disclosed that he contacted the four-time Pro Bowler about joining forces again in New York.
"There's plenty of room; we've got room for whoever wants to come help us win a Super Bowl," Conklin said Monday on “Good Morning Football.” "Me and Dalvin were basically locker-mates my first couple years, and he was an awesome guy. I reached out to him because I was just curious, like are the rumors true? Is this actually possible? That'd be a special backfield with Breece (Hall) and Dalvin and the rookie (Israel Abanikanda) and whatnot…Mike Carter. I don't know. That's a lot of running backs, but I think that'd be special, especially in this outside zone scheme.”
After losing Hall to a torn ACL seven games into the season, the Jets ended the year with the 26th-ranked rushing offense, and they were one of eight teams to average less than 100 yards per game (99.2).
New York got 702 yards on the ground and four rushing touchdowns out of backups Carter and Zonovan Knight, but the duo averaged just 3.5 yards per carry and rushed for more 70 yards in a game just twice.
Cook, who’s stated he’s prioritizing winning a championship over a big payday, has rushed for more than 1,100 yards with six or more touchdowns in four straight seasons. His 43 rushing touchdowns are second-most since 2019, trailing only Derrick Henry (56), and his 5,024 rushing yards are the third-most over that span, trailing Henry (6,042) and Nick Chubb (5,345).
Cook’s presence would make the Jets offense one of the more explosive (he has 27 runs of 20 or more yards over the last four years) and well-rounded in the NFL.
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