As the Cowboys search for a spark in the running game coming off their bye, a new backfield option could be introduced. Head coach Mike McCarthy suggested Dalvin Cook could make his season debut in Week 8
“Dalvin is ready,” McCarthy said on Friday (via Nick Harris of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram). “I really like the work that he’s putting in. I think he’s clearly crossed over the threshold of the communication and the understanding [of the offense].”
Cook had a forgettable 2023 campaign split between the Jets and Ravens, logging only 75 combined carries between the two teams. During the offseason, he (along with Ezekiel Elliott) was linked to a Cowboys deal. One day after the roster cutdown deadline, Dallas did indeed parlay Cook’s workout into a practice squad agreement. The four-time Pro Bowler has yet to be elevated to the active roster since, but that could change this week.
McCarthy’s comments suggest Cook will be one of the Cowboys’ two gameday elevations for Week 8; a final call on that front will be made tomorrow. Provided the former Viking is indeed added to the gameday roster, he will have the opportunity to contribute to a rushing attack which has not fared well in the absence of Tony Pollard. Pollard expectedly departed on the open market after playing out the 2023 season on the franchise tag.
To replace his production, the Cowboys have relied on a reunion with Elliott along with an increased workload for Rico Dowdle. Overall, the team sits last in the NFL with an average of 77 yards per game on the ground, and Elliott recently spoke with the team about his lack of usage during short-yardage situations in particular. He, along with Dowdle and Hunter Luepke, will aim to deliver higher production in the running game as Dallas attempts to improve on a 3-3 start.
Cook rushed for at least 1,135 yards every year from 2019-22, but he was let go by Minnesota last offseason in a cost-shedding move. A strong showing in whatever capacity he finds himself in with Dallas would help his free agent stock this spring, but at the age of 29 his prospects in that regard could be limited. In any case, it will be interesting to see how much Cook is used when he makes regular season debut.
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