Dalvin Cook and the Miami Dolphins having mutual interest has been arguably the NFL’s worst-kept off-season secret this spring — but it still hasn’t happened yet.

The hold-up has been the Minnesota Vikings unsuccessfully finding a trade partner who would take on Cook’s $10.4 million salary due for the 2023 season.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins signing Cook if the Vikings end up releasing the four-time Pro Bowler is “certainly a real possibility.”

Additionally, Jackson says he has “been led to believe” that Cook to the Dolphins is not a done deal.

“There would be interest on both sides. But from my understanding, there’s not some secret agreement between the parties,” his report indicated.

Pro Football Talk notes that “a trade also would be possible if Cook would reduce his deal to something the Dolphins would accept,” while also indicating he may just force the Vikings to give him his walking papers.

Cook, who turns 28 in August, has made four straight Pro Bowl appearances and has been a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last four seasons.

For his six-year career, Cook has 5,993 rushing yards on 1,282 carries and 52 total touchdowns, and he also has 221 catches for 1,794 receiving yards.

Of course, being released would also mean Cook could spurn the Dolphins and sign elsewhere.

In a similar instance that developed in late May, fellow perennial Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins was surprisingly released by the Arizona Cardinals when the team couldn’t find a trade partner to take on the wide receiver’s remaining contract.

It also means the Cardinals will eat a $22.6 million dead cap hit with nothing in return.

As of this writing, Hopkins has yet to find a new team, and Cook remains on the Vikings.