Cowboys to sign RB Dalvin Cook to practice squad, sources say

By
TODD ARCHER via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
via
August 28, 2024, 11:39 AM ET
3 min read

FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys will sign veteran running back Dalvin Cook, his agency told ESPN.

Cook, who visited with Dallas on Tuesday, will join the Cowboys' practice squad, sources told ESPN. The Cowboys' 53-man roster already includes running backs  Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle and  Deuce Vaughn and fullback Hunter Luepke.

Cook's workout Tuesday went well, and multiple sources told ESPN that he looked to be in good shape.

As a member of the practice squad, Cook would be eligible to be called up to the gameday roster for Dallas' Sept. 8 opener against the Browns. Players are allowed three elevations from the practice squad to the 46-man game-day roster, but they would need to be added to the 53-man roster after that to continue to be active.

Cook, 29, spent last season with the Jets and Ravens. In 15 games with the Jets, he rushed for 214 yards on just 3.2 yards per carry. He joined the Ravens in January and rushed for 23 yards on eight carries in their divisional round victory against the Texans, but he did not play in the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs.

The Cowboys are set to go with a committee approach at running back with Elliott returning after a one-year stint with the Patriots.

Elliott, also 29, did not have a carry in the preseason, but his work in the latter stages of training camp was increased to get him ready for the season. Dowdle had just three carries for 14 yards in one preseason game after setting career highs last year in carries (89) and yards (361). Vaughn led Cowboys running backs with 87 yards on 14 carries in the preseason.

Cook's 5,238 rushing yards over the past five seasons are the fourth-most in the NFL over that stretch, ahead of Elliott and behind only Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs and Nick Chubb.

A second-round draft selection of the Vikings in 2017, Cook is the third-leading rusher in Minnesota franchise history. He had four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons from 2019 to 2022 with the Vikings. His best season came in 2020, when he ran for 1,557 yards with 16 touchdowns. He also has 236 career receptions for 1,872 yards and five touchdowns.

Cook will have familiar faces around him on the Cowboys, with linebacker Eric Kendricks and defensive tackle Linval Joseph also having played for the Vikings.