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Grades and outlook: Dalvin Cook's breakout sets up payday; will Vikings buy in?

Before running back Dalvin Cook’s Vikings traveled to Dallas in November, he talked about approaching his contract status like Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott — “He’s been putting in the work and not looking for a payday, just looking to get wins and looking to do good things.”

The part not mentioned was Elliott’s 40-day summer holdout, which he parlayed into a six-year, $90 million contract on Sept. 4. Finally healthy, Cook’s three-month tear through NFL defenses last season might just be enough to cash in on a similar deal.

Cook’s breakout 2019 campaign confirmed what Vikings coaches already knew about their star runner’s potential after he missed 17 of his first 24 NFL starts due to injuries.