The Dallas Cowboys are making headlines by signing veteran running back Dalvin Cook to their roster.
Cook, a former Pro Bowler, officially joined the Cowboys after a visit to the team, as confirmed by his agency on Wednesday. He flew to Dallas on Monday night to meet with the organization, as previously reported by NFL Media.
Despite being a celebrated running back and a four-time Pro Bowler, Cook is coming off one of the most challenging seasons of his career. At 29, he rushed for only 214 yards on an average of 3.2 yards per carry and failed to score a touchdown in 15 games with the New York Jets during the 2023 season. As his role diminished, Cook requested his release and was subsequently let go before the regular-season finale.
Despite the struggles of the past season, there is a glimmer of hope for Cook’s revival in 2024. After undergoing shoulder surgery, he spent a significant portion of the 2023 offseason in rehabilitation. Now, he has resumed weight training and reportedly feels “the best he has in years,” according to NFL Media.
Before the 2023 season, Cook was regarded as one of the elite running backs in the league. From 2019 to 2022, he consistently rushed for over 1,110 yards each season, culminating in a standout performance in 2022 with 1,173 rushing yards, eight touchdowns, and 39 receptions for 295 yards and two additional touchdowns.
The Cowboys faced a gap in their running back lineup after losing Tony Pollard to free agency this offseason. In response, they re-signed Ezekiel Elliott, a former star running back, to a one-year deal and retained a few backup players who had limited playing time in 2023.
While Elliott had significant success during his first stint in Dallas, his performance has steadily declined in recent years. Last season with the New England Patriots, he managed 645 rushing yards on 3.5 yards per carry and three touchdowns, sharing the workload with Rhamondre Stevenson.
Despite this decline, Elliott was the most productive running back on the Cowboys’ roster in 2023 and is currently listed as the starter. Rico Dowdle, who contributed 361 rushing yards and two touchdowns last season, is also expected to play a key role in the backfield alongside Cook.
The Cowboys’ decision to sign Cook came just a day after the NFL’s roster cutdown day and shortly after they secured a four-year, $136 million contract extension for star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, concluding his holdout less than two weeks before the regular season kicks off.
