Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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"It means a lot to me. A guy that has done it before me and was in the same shoes I was in, just a few years ago. It means a lot. When I got drafted, I really didn't know what I was getting myself into. I thought I was going to be a guy that just came in and played behind Adrian. But they drafted me to come play right away, and I had to be ready. I was just a kid; I didn't know. Just to be playing on the field with Adrian, it's always a blessing for me to soak that up, every time.
– Cook after a 200-yard outing against Adrian Peterson and the Lions
"Yeah, man. That's my guy. … He is his own self-critic of everything, and just him going out there blocking every week, I don't think you see guys do that. He loves it every week. He lives for it every week. And every chance he gets he tells me how much of a special player I am. That's one of my closest friends nowadays. C.J., that's my guy, and I've just got to make sure he's all right because [he gives] it everything he's got, so he's been doing a hell of a job for us."
– Cook on the impact of Ham as a blocker
"I'll leave the rankings [of RB duos] up to the professionals and the fans out there, but for me I think we have a very versatile running backs room. As a whole, I think we can do something special in this league. I'm gonna hold us accountable, hold us to that standard as [coach Kennedy Polamalu] does and as everybody in that room does. We're going to go out there and try to be one of the better groups that we can be."
– Mattison on Minnesota's running backs
Pressing Questions for 2021
1. Can Cook replicate – or top – his 2020 season in 2021?
There's no denying Cook had a rock star performance in 2020. The 25-year-old impressed week after week and stayed mostly healthy, missing a game-and-a-half with a groin injury after struggling with injuries in previous campaigns. There's also no denying, however, that he took a beating in totaling 356 touches.
Cook repeatedly assured media members that his body felt great and that he embraced the heavy workload. Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer favors a run-heavy offense, so it's likely that Cook will be asked to handle plenty of touches again in 2021 – will he be able to keep pace with this season's numbers?
2. Will the Vikings offensive system look the same next season?
As stated above, Zimmer holds a run-first philosophy, and that's not likely to change.
But there is some uncertainty as to whether Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak will return for a second season in the role, and it remains to be seen if any tweaks will be made to the offensive system – under Kubiak or otherwise.
According to Sportradar, Minnesota's run-play percentage (45.7) was the sixth-highest in the NFL in 2020. Will that number stay the same, or is there a chance that passing plays increase at all in Zimmer's eighth season at the helm?
Even if the ratio of run-to-pass plays stays consistent, it will be interesting to see if other backs on Minnesota's roster are implemented in games on a more regular basis instead of getting their primary action if Cook is inactive.