The Green Bay Packers have been mentioned early and often whenever a free agent running back is talked about. Now that the NFL combine has officially begun, it appears the focus for the Packers has changed from getting a beat up veteran signed to a sweetheart deal. These days, the newest talk is about the team looking to draft their next franchise running back in a draft that looks to be pretty deep at the position. Florida State rusher Dalvin Cook is one of those players who could end up being a generational type of player at the next level and the folks from Green Bay are giving him a long look.
Eye-popping statistics
When Heisman candidates were talked about for most of the season, Dalvin Cook was one of those players who was usually completely ignored. A look at his final statistics makes you wonder how in the world that happened. Those same statistics don't make you wonder just why the Green Bay Packers are showing interest in the runner.
The Packers have likely taken a long look at the fact that his 1,765 yards and 19 touchdowns was actually an improvement from his 2015 season where he ran for 1,691 yards and 19 touchdowns. His 6.1 yards per carry in the 2016 season were actually down quite a bit. The season before, he averaged a whopping 7.4 yards per carry. Having said all that, it's not a surprise Green Bay is looking at him but it might be a surprise if he slides all the way to where the Packers are drafting.
Far from the only team talking to Cook
Packers fans should probably not get too excited about their team's meeting with the astonishingly good running back. 247Sports said Cook talked to the Texans at the combine as well. He also talked with the Redskins, Packers, 49ers and Broncos. The Green Bay Packers were likely just doing their due diligence, but if they had zero interest in the former Florida State player, they wouldn't have talked at all. With Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson and Eddie Lacey all fighting to come back off of injury, it shouldn't come as a surprise the Packers are looking at other avenues.
