It was barely three weeks ago that the Jets signed Dalvin Cook, adding a Pro Bowl running back to a mix that already included Breece Hall and Michael Carter.
After sitting out the preseason in recovery from a shoulder injury, Monday night’s opener against the Bills will be the first time Cook suits up for the Jets.
Learning Nathaniel Hackett’s offense in such a short time has been a lot, but Cook is champing at the bit.
“I feel like I’ve been out of the game for a minute,” Cook told The Post following Thursday’s practice. “I’m ready to go play ball.”
That is a bit of an exaggeration — Cook played all 17 games for the Vikings last season and was successful, rushing for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns.
He underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason and missed a chunk of training camp before signing with the Jets late.
No matter, if there is added motivation, the Jets are happy to take it.
That includes Cook getting a chance to play his little brother, James — the lead back for the Bills.
Dalvin is five years older than James, who ran for 507 yards last season as a rookie with the Bills.
The age gap did not stop them from constantly trying to one-up each other as children.
“Competitive, man,” Cook said of their relationship. “I think that’s what got us to the level we’re at. Just being competitive no matter what we did. I don’t care what level of intensity it was, we was just a competitive group of human beings that wanted to see each other succeed at a high level. I think that’s what pushed us to where we’re at.”
Both siblings played for high-end college programs, Dalvin at Florida State and James at Georgia.
After being stuck behind Devin Singletary on Buffalo’s depth chart last year, James is ready to step into a bigger role.
This is the second time the two have played each other in the NFL, with Dalvin’s Vikings taking a 33-30 win over the Bills in overtime last year.
The older brother outgained the younger 119-22 that day with a touchdown in hand, but said he did not talk much trash.
“He didn’t get a fair amount of shots,” Dalvin said. “He didn’t really get to run the football, so this year should be a little different. So we gonna see.”
Their relationship, Dalvin said, is not one of trash-talking or where communications will be cut off during game week.
They talk every day and continue to do so this week.
Competitive as they are, Dalvin is rooting for his brother to succeed, saying Thursday he didn’t think about signing to play with him in Buffalo this offseason because, “I never get in my brother’s way.”
Except, of course, if things go according to plan on Monday.