Dalvin Cook angling for 'epic' team-up with DeAndre Hopkins

Productive RB free agent Dalvin Cook says it would be 'epic' to join DeAndre Hopkins at whatever NFL team they choose this season. (Photo: Isaiah Downing / USATODAY)

by TigerNet Staff - Tue Jun 20 10:31:06 GMT-05:00 2023

Dalvin Cook committed to Clemson while DeAndre Hopkins was on the roster.

Cook's recruitment took some turns to end up at Clemson ACC rival Florida State, but after accounting for nearly 6,000 rushing yards at the NFL level, Cook would like to wear the same uniform as Hopkins again.

Both are free agents this offseason and Cook told ESPN's Adam Schefter of his 'epic' hopes.

"I know his mindset, and I done play against D-Hop a numerous amount of times," Cook said to Schefter, per ESPN. "When I been with D-Hop, we done chill together, we done been around each other like, and it's like I kind of see the person that he is like, he want to win and that's what my mind at to.

"I want to go win. Like I said, the money gonna come and that's going to happen. But like as far as going to lift that [Vince Lombardi] Trophy up, he got the same mindset as me."

"If we end up on the same roster, that would be something epic for the NFL."

Cook rushed for over 1,000 yards in each of the last four seasons with 43 rushing scores and three receiving TDs.

Hopkins has held visits with Tennessee and New England so far after being released by the Arizona Cardinals last month.

ESPN reported "intrigue" between New England and Hopkins out of that trip but no deal has been announced or is known to be imminent. In that meeting, Hopkins is reported to have met with Bill Belichick one-on-one.

"He got quite a bit of 1-on-1 time with Bill Belichick," SI's Albert Breer said recently. "Which I think is significant because the fit is the biggest question here. And to me, this was going to be a matter of the two sides becoming comfortable with where the other was and selling each other on one another...

"I've been told the last couple of days that this deal was going to have to happen on Bill's terms. Does sitting down with DeAndre Hopkins make Bill's terms more flexible? Does Bill feel better about it? Do his terms change and get closer to what DeAndre Hopkins' terms are? That's what I think is so interesting about the fact the two sat down together today."

Hopkins' last 1,000-yard campaign came in 2020 (115 catches for 1,407 yards and six scores). The three-time All-Pro saw action in at least 15 games per season up to the 2021-22 campaign with an average of 1,251 yards on 93 catches with eight touchdowns per year.

He played in 10 games after injury in 2021 with 42 catches for 572 yards and eight touchdowns. Hopkins was suspended for the first six games of the 2022 season for what he said was a trace of the banned-substance Ostarine coming up in a test. He played in nine games after and totaled 64 catches for 717 yards and three scores.