Vikings Scrub Running Back Dalvin Cook From Social Media Which Definitely Sends A Message

It has increasingly become a move of dissatisfaction from Gen. Z and millennials when they scrub their social media of friends, paramours or even employers. It's a passive aggressive move that folks accept because, you know, young people.

But it's really weird when the employer does it.

While the employee is still around.

Meet the Minnesota Vikings.

Sometime late last week the Vikings official Twitter account and the club's Facebook page were curiously altered. On Twitter, the banner was changed by removing star running back Dalvin Cook and replacing him with (until now backup) Alexander Mattison.

Cook was the only player scrubbed. Quarterback Kirk Cousins, receiver Justin Jefferson and tight end T.J. Hockenson remain.

And, of course, no one noticed this move that we're all certain has a mitigating explanation.

No.

Wrong.

Earth's entire western hemisphere noticed.

Vikings Remove Dalvin Cook From Accounts

And some folks just about lost their minds because it suggests Cook's time with the Vikings is short.

Which, barring significant movement in the player's willingness to take a pay cut, that's exactly what it means.

This is not a new idea.

Cook trade rumors have been swirling for several months. And the rumors have included Cook returning to his hometown in Miami-Dade County to play for the Dolphins, or going to Buffalo to play with brother James Cook, or perhaps possibility ending up in New York.

The problem with this is no team has yet offered to trade for Cook at any significant price. Most NFL teams are simply waiting for the Vikings to cut Cook, probably after June 1 to exact the best salary cap savings.

It also must be noted it was Cook who kind of started this social media back-and-forth because he removed the Vikings from a social media post last month.

Cook And Vikings Break Up On Social

So what we have here is kind of a social media breakup before an real breakup in actual life.

It is no secret the Vikings took calls about trading Cook prior to the draft. It's unclear if they made some calls themselves.

But the direction this is heading initially feels weird because Cook is a baller even though he'll be 28 years old for the coming season.

Last season Cook gained over 1,173 yards, averaged 4.4 yards per carry, played all 17 games, scored 10 TDs and was arguably the second-best player on the team behind only Jefferson.

So what gives?

Well, he's scheduled to cost the Vikings $14.1 million on their salary cap this season. And that is a considerable sum for a team needing to save every penny for future contract issues such as, well, locking up Jefferson to an extension after this season.

The Vikings would love to get someone to offer them a premium future draft pick for what they would sell as a premium playmaker in Cook.

But no one has yet jumped at a running back that accounts for between 5-6 percent of the cap over the next three seasons if that running back isn't named Barry Sanders.

And Cook, good as he is, isn't changing his name to Barry Sanders.

Vikings Unhappy With Cook Cap Cost

The other thing is Cook signed a contract and has made it clear in negotiations with the team he's not eager to take a pay cut. So the Vikings must trade him, cut him or accept the large cap number.

And they're not accepting the large cap number.

There's no telling where this will end up. Maybe Cook relents? Hard to imagine.

The timing of this social media move is interesting.

Just after the draft, Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was asked if the draft offered any clarity on the status of Cook and linebacker Za'Darius Smith, another high-priced veteran.

"Yeah, obviously we're keeping communication open with both those guys, and like I said earlier, we're always trying to find solutions for both them and us, and we'll continue to do so," Adofo-Mensah said. "Again, the dialogue will remain open with them."

That is true because the Vikings in the last week sent both a message:

They traded Smith to the Cleveland Browns. And removed Cook from their Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Follow on Twitter: @ArmandoSalguero