It’s Official for Former Viking in Playoffs This Weekend
Dustin Baker
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Former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook will experience playoff action for the third time in five years.
The 28-year-old was formally signed to the Baltimore Ravens’ active roster, meaning he’s unlikely to be a healthy scratch for the postseason, which kicks off for Baltimore on Saturday versus the upstart Houston Texans.
It’s Official for Former Viking in Playoffs This Weekend
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweeted Thursday morning, two days before Ravens-Texans, “The Ravens waived veteran RB Melvin Gordon, per source. Corresponding move: Baltimore is signing RB Dalvin Cook to the 53-man roster and he’s expected to make his Ravens debut in Saturday’s playoff vs. Houston, per his agency LAA Sports Entertainment.”
After mutually agreeing to part ways with the New York Jets, Cook joined the Ravens practice squad two weeks ago. Baltimore hasn’t played a meaningful game since his arrival, but it will this weekend, and Cook will be ready, expected to receive at least a few touches in the Ravens’ offense.
Baltimore is a 9.5-point home favorite to down DeMeco Ryans’ Texans.
Cook originally joined the Jets in August, back when New York was a true-blue Super Bowl contender. But soon after the regular season kicked off, Cook wasn’t quite the same playmaker from 2020 or 2021, and New York quickly granted a larger carry load to Breece Hall, not Cook. Quarterback Aaron Rogers was injured four plays into the regular season with a torn Achilles, the same injury that beset Vikings signal-caller Kirk Cousins in October.
The veteran tailback lasted on the free-agent wire for a few minutes following the Jets divorce. Behind the San Francisco 49ers, the Ravens are favored to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February, and Cook will provide trustworthy depth. John Harbaugh’s team has endured oodles of injury at running back in 2023, losing J.K. Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell to season-ending injuries. So, in the postseason, the more RB depth, the better.
This is Baltimore’s current RB corps:
- Gus Edwards
- Justice Hill
- Dalvin Cook
- Owen Wright (PS)
Cook left the Vikings 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).
The Vikings released Cook last June because he was in line for a $14 million cap hit in 2023 — too much for a running back and for one that proved in New York that his Pro Bowl days were over.
Baltimore ranks tops in the NFL per rushing DVOA this season.
The Ravens also employ former Vikings defensive tackle Michael Pierce (DT), Laquon Treadwell (WR, PS), and Dan Chisena (WR, PS).
Baltimore is 1-5 (.166) in its last six playoff games.
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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