The Dallas Cowboys have been active since the conclusion of their final preseason game. From trades to signings, the team is looking to wheel and deal as it tries to complete its roster ahead of Week 1.
That trend appears to be continuing from Wednesday morning with the reported signing of veteran running back Dalvin Cook.
Cowboys Add Dalvin Cook Ahead of Week 1
Reports earlier in the week stated that Cook was headed to Dallas for a visit, with the result of that meeting being that the team came away impressed with how the veteran running back looked.
Fast forward to that current day and that feeling has now turned into a signing as multiple reports indicate that Cook and the Cowboys have agreed to a deal that brings him to Dallas.
A day after visiting with the Cowboys, veteran RB Dalvin Cook is signing with the club's practice squad, according to sources. Tuesday's workout went well and Cook was in good shape. He can be called up from the PS and play Week 1 if needed.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 28, 2024
The Cowboys will take advantage of the amended practice squad rules that have changed over the last few seasons. These rules allow veterans to be placed there and elevated up and down throughout the season.
According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, “Tuesday’s workout went well, and Cook was in good shape,” setting up the eventual signing that brings him to Dallas.
Now, with Cook in the fold, the Cowboys have two well-accomplished veteran running backs — the other being Ezekiel Elliott. Dallas now hopes they have enough horsepower in the room to be a quality rushing team to help complement Dak Prescott and their elite passing attack.
Cook Signing Shows Cowboys’ Efforts To Get It Right at RB
Cook is a highly accomplished NFL running back. Despite his down year in 2023 — during which he dealt with a laundry list of injuries and unsettled fits with the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens late in the season — Cook isn’t that far removed from real, substantial production.
From 2019 to 2022, Cook had four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, totaling 5,024 yards and 44 touchdowns during that time. Dallas isn’t outlandish for thinking that some of that may still be inside of the veteran RB and are hoping to draw it out of him in 2024.
.@DalvinCook had a career game on TNF, rushing for 205 yards and scoring two touchdowns in the @Vikings win. #PITvsMIN #SKOL pic.twitter.com/VhXwDGukEY
— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2021
Cook will provide a veteran presence, someone who will command respect alongside Elliott in the room and also provide insurance. If Elliott isn’t who Dallas hopes he can be or gets banged up throughout the season, Cook has a similar running style and pedigree who could spell him or, in many cases, play alongside him.
Beyond the obvious added production Cook brings, when looking at Dallas’ roster, it’s easy to see that the RB position is a glaring weakness heading into Week 1 that makes a move like this necessary. With Elliott being the elder statesman, the group is composed of intriguing talent Rico Dowdle and second-year player Deuce Vaughn, who stands at 5’6″ on a good day.
The running back issue has been well-known all offseason, with many firmly believing the Cowboys would allocate draft resources to the position this year to fill the spot. They didn’t and instead chose to re-sign Elliott, hoping for a resurgence in his second act with the team.
By most accounts, Dallas’ handling of the position has been misguided. With a hope to reset the spending at the position in full effect, the Cowboys look to cleanse themselves from the $90 million deal they gave Elliott and the franchise tag they dealt Tony Pollard last season, which was valued at over $10 million for the year.
With that hope comes many questions about what it all can look like. Will going cheap bite the Cowboys in the end? Or will they look smart by plugging in pieces, not spending a lot, and hoping it all fits?
For at least a little while, Cook’s signing signals a team that understands the error of its ways.
Yes, they sat on their hands through much of free agency and the offseason. Yes, they let seven rounds of the draft go by without adding a playmaker at the position. But what they did was give the roster a chance to play itself out and let the guys prove them right or wrong before making a decision — one that ultimately led them to Cook.
People will make jokes about a player that looks to be past his prime. They may say that Elliott and Cook are one and the same when it comes to production and the fall of the proverbial cliff. However, in several ways, Cook’s signing should be applauded by the fan base.
Cook may not work out, and it’s entirely possible it could be a flop. However, the end result doesn’t matter as much as the intent.
The Cowboys understand that they made a mistake at the position, and instead of compounding it by sitting on their hands and doing nothing, they’re choosing to act.
For a team that gets crushed for not doing anything, it seems silly to now criticize them for finally getting off the couch and making calls. This is progress, and it should provide hope for Cowboys fans.