Paid leave for Cook not popular with Vikings players

[Big Bid'Ness]

Fromrofootballtalk

We’ve written before about the dysfunction in Minnesota this season.

Defensive players are ignoring coaches. The front office and coach Leslie Frazier disagreed on Donovan McNabb.

Getting rid of Brad Childress has reduced drama, but seemingly only pushed it under the surface. The latest issue to bubble up: Players and possibly Frazier weren’t happy about the handling of cornerback Chris Cook after his arrest.

The team decided to keep Cook on the roster after suspending him two games, but not play him. Essentially, he got a paid leave.

Judd Zulgad of espn1500.com says that move was “highly, highly unpopular” among Vikings players for a variety of reasons. The feeling was that Frazier was sending mixed messages about condoning conduct. The team cut Bryant McKinnie for being overweight, but not Cook for serious arrest.

The team was also allowing Cook to get paid for doing nothing, while they worked hard. At a time when Frazier was trying to sell a message of competing, the team decided to just give up a roster spot for half the season.

Zulgad suggests that Frazier wasn’t in support of retaining Cook, but the front office wanted to keep him.

That divided power structure — with vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman on one side and Frazier on the other — is an issue the Vikings need to solve this offseason.

That divide seems to be the cause of a lot of finger pointing and continued drama in Minnesota.