Hall of Famer Has Idea for Dalvin Cook’s Next Team
Dustin Baker
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Dalvin Cook and the New York Jets divorced this week after an unsuccessful marriage that lasted 16 games. The veteran tailback hit waivers, cleared those, and can sign anywhere in the NFL as of Thursday afternoon.
Hall of Famer Has Idea for Dalvin Cook’s Next Team
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted, “Former Jets’ RB Dalvin Cook went unclaimed on waivers today and is now free to sign with whichever playoff contender he wants, per source.’
And according to Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, Cook should swing down to Texas for his former team’s playoff run. Irvin said Thursday on Fox Sports’ Undisputed about Cook to Cowboys, “Absolutely they should. They need it. It is right in the area, right now, that they’re lacking the production but also they are having a number of injuries. Deuce Vaughn has been hurt. Rico Dowdle has been hurt.”
When Jets RB1 Breece Hall became fully healthy early in the regular season, Cook took a total backseat in New York’s offense and became a total nonfactor by late October.
“Can you use a Dalvin Cook going into the postseason right now? Absolutely you can use him,” Irvin added.
Cook in Dallas would check some boxes, mainly adding depth for the Cowboys’ upcoming playoff game against one of these teams: Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, or Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Cook’s tenure in New York ended rather unceremoniously, as when he signed with the Jets last summer, he hoped to join Aaron Rodgers and friends for a Super Bowl push. But just four plays into the season, Rodgers tore his Achilles — the same injury that beset Kirk Cousins in October — and the Jets’ season died that moment.
Meanwhile, Cook struggled mightily in New York and has been flatly ignored in the Jets’ awful offense as of late. He’s banked 82 touches in 2023 for 292 yards from scrimmage, a meager 3.6 yards per touch. During his Vikings run, for example, he tabulated 5.5 yards per touch in 2019.
The former Viking will turn 29 next summer and could reasonably sign on with a Super Bowl contender in the next few days. If Irvin gets his wish, Cook will join this RB room in Dallas:
- Tony Pollard
- Rico Dowdle
- SaRodorick Thompson Jr. (PS)
- Malik Davis (PS)
Cook left the Vikings in June as the franchise’s third-leading rusher in franchise history (5,993 yards) behind Adrian Peterson (11,747) and Robert Smith (6,818). His 47 rushing touchdowns rank fourth behind Peterson (97), Chuck Foreman (52), and Bill Brown (52). And his rushing yards per game (82.1) are second, only trailing Peterson (95.5).
Other teams to monitor inside the Cook Sweepstakes include the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, and Kansas City Chiefs.
The Cowboys rank 15th per rushing DVOA heading into Week 18.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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