Chicago Bears: Stealing one player from every NFC North opponent

Minnesota Vikings: Dalvin Cook, Running Back

Last season, Dalvin Cook established himself as one of the top running backs in the league. His ability to make guys miss and attack running lanes is elite, and he revamped the Vikings’ offense to a run-first style. He finds the end zone frequently and has a chance to bust any run for a big play. He is also a factor in the passing game and is an above-average pass catcher for a running back.

The Bears have an interesting backfield with David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen. Montgomery seems to be heading for that primary back title, while Cohen is more of a flex guy. Still, Montgomery is young and unproven so far. Bringing in Dalvin Cook would be an instant upgrade and add to such a solid group. Plus, with Cook’s injury history, Montgomery might end up seeing plenty of time on the field.

This would open up the offense so much more because they have a true threat in the backfield. Last season, many teams forced the Bears to pass into tough coverage because they did not respect the run game of the Bears. Cook has the skill set to change that, which means Mitchell Trubisky or Nick Foles, or possibly someone else, (cough cough, Aaron Rodgers), might have an easier time slinging the rock.

Again, the Vikings are a team loaded with talent, but the Bears desperately need playmakers on offense. Bringing in a top running back, who is a true playmaker with the ball in his hands, would create a whole new avenue for this Bears offense to explore and could be just what the team needed to make that jump.