The Dallas Cowboys have announced the signing of veteran running back Dalvin Cook to their practice squad, as confirmed by his agency. Cook, who had a productive visit with the team on Tuesday, will be added to the practice squad, which already includes running backs Ezekiel Elliott, Rico Dowdle, and Deuce Vaughn, alongside fullback Hunter Luepke. This addition will help bolster the team’s depth at the running back position.
Cook’s recent workout with the Cowboys was reportedly successful, and he appears to be in excellent physical shape. As a practice squad member, Cook is eligible to be promoted to the Cowboys’ game-day roster for their season opener against the Browns on September 8. Players on the practice squad can be elevated to the active roster up to three times for game days, after which they would need to be officially added to the 53-man roster to remain active.
During his most recent seasons with the Jets and Ravens, Cook had a mixed performance. He rushed for 214 yards over 15 games with the Jets and contributed 23 yards on eight carries in a playoff game with the Ravens. Despite this, his track record from previous seasons makes him a valuable asset for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys’ running back strategy for the upcoming season will involve a committee approach. Ezekiel Elliott returns after a year with the Patriots, with an increased workload in training camp to prepare for the season. Rico Dowdle, who had limited preseason carries, had a notable performance last year. Deuce Vaughn also showed promise in the preseason, leading the running backs in rushing yards.
Cook’s career highlights include being a second-round draft pick by the Vikings in 2017 and becoming their third-leading rusher. He had four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons from 2019 to 2022, peaking in 2020 with 1,557 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Cook’s experience will be further complemented by familiar faces on the Cowboys, such as linebacker Eric Kendricks and defensive tackle Linval Joseph, who also have ties to the Vikings.
