Jets RB Dalvin Cook reacts to staying with team through trade deadline

Disgruntled New York Jets running back Dalvin Cook probably wants more touches moving forward but is OK with the fact he stayed put through Tuesday's trade deadline. 

"I guess they want me here," Cook said about the Jets while speaking with Al Iannazzone of Newsday. "That’s my reaction. I’ve never been through nothing like that so it was new for me. I didn’t have a reaction to be honest. Just means they probably want me here."

Cook openly complained last week about his "frustrating" lack of offensive contributions after he signed a one-year contract reportedly worth up to $8.6M with the Jets in August. It was then reported after Cook remained with the Jets on Tuesday that the 28-year-old "was intrigued by potentially playing for" either the 6-2 Baltimore Ravens or the 5-2 Dallas Cowboys, but Iannazzone noted that Cook never asked New York general manager Joe Douglas for a trade.

"It was just a regular day for me," Cook said about Tuesday. "If anything was going to happen, I’m ready. Just like I’m ready to play. If anything for me was going to happen, just step into the new situation and be me."

Per ESPN stats, Cook heads into the upcoming "Monday Night Football" home game versus the 3-4 Los Angeles Chargers third on the Jets with 114 rushing yards and second with 41 carries on the season. To compare, second-year star Breece Hall leads the Jets with 443 rushing yards and 78 carries. 

Head coach Robert Saleh told reporters Wednesday that Cook and defensive end Carl Lawson, another subject of trade rumors who went nowhere by Tuesday's deadline, "are tremendous professionals" who won't cause any behind-the-scenes issues for the 4-3 Jets. 

"They’re going to be needed by year’s end," Saleh added. "They’re needed every game." 

As of Thursday afternoon, OddsChecker listed the Jets as 3.5-point underdogs against the Chargers. If nothing else, Cook should have fresh legs for that matchup.