By Jon Machota, Saad Yousuf and Alex Andrejev
The Dallas Cowboys are signing free-agent running back Dalvin Cook to their practice squad, according to multiple reports.
The four-time Pro Bowler most recently played for the Baltimore Ravens following a stint with the New York Jets last season and a prolific, six-year tenure with the Minnesota Vikings earlier in his career.
Cook, 29, signed with the Ravens in January for the playoffs, posting eight carries for 23 yards in Baltimore’s divisional-round win against the Houston Texans. He did not play in the AFC Championship Game, where the Ravens fell to the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The Jets released Cook in January after he signed a one-year, $5.8 million guaranteed contract with the team last August. Cook didn’t see much time with New York, playing behind Breece Hall after Hall’s resurgence post-ACL tear. Cook recorded 67 carries for 214 yards and no touchdowns — all career-lows — in 15 regular-season games for the Jets.
The Vikings released Cook last summer. During his time in Minnesota, he rushed for 5,993 yards and 47 touchdowns and added 221 receptions for 1,794 yards and five TDs.
Cowboys add another veteran
For a team that wasn’t very active during free agency back in March, the Cowboys have been adding several veterans lately. The latest is Cook, who a source said had a good workout with the Cowboys yesterday.
The plan is for him to be added to their practice squad as he fully gets into football game shape. Cook is similar to Ezekiel Elliott in that his best days are probably behind him, but he still can contribute to a running back room that is trying to replace Tony Pollard. The biggest issue with Elliott and Cook is that neither is expected to help on special teams, so it’ll be interesting to see how the Cowboys make things work.
They also have Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn and fullback Hunter Luepke on the roster. Dallas has recently traded for veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips and signed veteran defensive tackle Linval Joseph. — Jon Machota, Cowboys beat writer
What Cook brings to Dallas
Cook is a recognizable name at a position that doesn’t garner much optimism for the Cowboys. How much this moves the needle on the field is the question, and the answer is, probably not much.
Cook is another version of Elliott, in that he’s a veteran back who has a great career highlight reel but is fairly limited at this point in his career. He can get the basics of the position done but not much more, and he also doesn’t contribute on special teams. The Cowboys already have a collection of No. 2 or No. 3 running backs on the roster, and Cook is the latest version of that. — Saad Yousuf, Cowboys beat writer
Required reading
(Photo: Tommy Gilligan / USA Today)
