On Thursday, the Baltimore Ravens bolstered their backfield by signing running back Dalvin Cook to their practice squad, as reported by a source. Cook, 28, cleared waivers after being released by the New York Jets on Tuesday. His agency informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Cook would be joining the Ravens following his unclaimed status on waivers.
As the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a first-round bye in the playoffs and a 13-3 record, the Ravens have the opportunity to evaluate the four-time Pro Bowl running back over the next two weeks before their divisional-round game on either January 20 or 21.
Despite having the NFL’s top rushing attack, Baltimore’s backfield has faced challenges due to injuries. The loss of featured back J.K. Dobbins to a season-ending Achilles injury in the season opener and the injury to explosive rookie Keaton Mitchell in Week 15 have impacted the team.
Gus Edwards, currently the Ravens’ primary running back, has scored 13 touchdowns but has struggled to generate significant plays, averaging 40.6 yards per game rushing and 3.6 yards per carry over his past seven games. Other running backs on the Ravens’ 53-man roster include Justice Hill and Melvin Gordon, a nine-year veteran with limited action this season (19 carries for 63 yards).
Quarterback Lamar Jackson leads the Ravens in rushing with 821 yards and has surpassed the team’s running backs in six games this season. Notably, only one Ravens running back has exceeded 80 yards in a game this season (Mitchell with 138 in Week 9).
Cook’s departure from the Jets was a mutual decision, according to a source, and he restructured his contract to forfeit remaining guarantees, as reported by ESPN’s Rich Cimini and Schefter. In his 15 games with the Jets, Cook carried the ball 67 times for 214 yards, averaging 3.2 yards per carry, 1.4 yards below his career mark. His playing time dwindled over weeks, reaching a low point when he did not play a single snap in the Jets’ 37-20 loss to the Browns last Thursday night—a career first.
Cook, a seven-season veteran with six seasons with the Vikings, accumulated 6,207 yards and 47 rushing touchdowns. His free agency recruitment was a notable story in the summer, ultimately landing him with the Jets on a one-year, $7 million contract, including $5.8 million in guarantees. Cook chose the Jets for the opportunity to play with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who unfortunately suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in the fourth play of the season.
