Dalvin Cook Could Get Screwed in Contract Negotiations With Minnesota Vikings After Latest 2021 Salary Cap Update

Dalvin Cook is one of the most productive players on the Minnesota Vikings' roster, and yet he's only going to make $1.3 million in 2020. His rookie contract will be up in 2021, and nobody expects the Vikings undervalue the 24-year-old back, but the COVID-19 pandemic could unexpectedly put a huge strain on the team and trash his big payment hopes.

ESPN reporter Adam Schefter recently stated, as expected, that the NFL could be forced to play games without fans present. While the move would ensure safety, it could cause teams to miss out on as much as $100 million dollars in profits in the 2020 season. The salary cap is set based on total revenue each year, and such a drastic change could make the cap shrink down. It could deprive organizations of as much as $80 million in cap space in 2021, which is devastating news if you're Cook, hoping to follow in Christian McCaffrey's footsteps at a position that it's generally unwise to sink money into.

Cook has already thrown his pricetag into question after missing a number of games due to injury, and the possibility of diminished cap space could add another argument in Minnesota's favor. If they simply don't have the money to pay Cook the kind of cash he thinks he's entitled to, it's hard to counter with any kind of compelling claim to that compensation. The team can only pay so much, and Cook may not fit the budget without some serious roster restructuring.

Still, Cook racked up 1,654 yards in rushing and receiving last year and made the Pro Bowl. It's hard to say the Vikings will be willing to let him walk.

Even though the Vikings will be eager to keep him around, a cut in the salary cap would make the whole situation exponentially more difficult to complete. It could mean Cook has to take his lumps and make less than he expected.