Vikings' Cook plays down notion he's replacing Peterson

For the first time since 2006, the Minnesota Vikings enter a season without longtime franchise player Adrian Peterson.

With Peterson now with the New Orleans Saints, the task of replacing him will likely fall onto the shoulders of rookie Dalvin Cook, who rebuffed any suggestion Sunday that he will be able to immediately fill the cleats of one of the franchise's all-time great players.

"That wouldn't be fair to him. He's a future Hall of Famer. This is my first year in the NFL. I ain't as close to him," Cook said, according to scout.com's Tim Yotter. "I can't compare myself to him at all. He's going to go down as one of the greatest backs in history so I've just got to go out there and work and I can't have that in my head. Adrian Peterson is one of the greats, one of the people I look up to, so I can't compare myself to him."

Cook is the future of the Vikings' backfield after being taken in the second round, but he's no lock to secure the starting job from Day 1. Minnesota signed Latavius Murray following three successful seasons with the Oakland Raiders, and Jerick McKinnon will likely push for a third-down role.

However, Cook welcomes the competition.

"We're going to push each other and I think the good thing about this backfield is we've got some workhorses in the backfield," Cook said. "We've got guys that are going to push each other to the next level and get the best out of each other. Having those two guys in the meeting room with me is good because that never lets you get comfortable with yourself."

Cook looked like a slam-dunk first-rounder at Florida State, but a subpar combine sent his draft stock into a nosedive. He likely couldn't have found a better landing spot, though, as the similarities between Florida State and the Vikings' run-game schemes mean his transition to the pro level should be smooth.

"We're running the same thing - zone, inside zone, outside zone, it allows me to catch the ball. I just think getting the ball in my hands as many ways as possible. That's where I can make plays. I did the same thing at Florida State," Cook said. "That's why I think this situation is so unique - I'm in the same situation. I've just got to take advantage of it."