Dalvin Cook saw his brief and underwhelming Jets tenure come to an end yesterday. As a result, he is on the waiver wire until Thursday afternoon. A free agent agreement with a playoff-bound team (presuming he clears) would come as little surprise. 
Suitors in that regard may be emerging. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports the Ravens and Cowboys are among the teams which could consider adding the four-time Pro Bowl running back. No firm interest appears to be in place at this point, and that will likely remain the case until Cook clears waivers. Still, both teams would represent logical landing spots if a deal were to emerge.
As Anderson notes, Baltimore would specifically be eyeing Cook as a practice squad addition (although the same will likely be true for Dallas and any other interested parties). Players added to the taxi squad can be designated a gameday elevation up to three times without occupying a 53-man roster spot, something of particular importance in the postseason.
The Ravens lead the league in rushing this season, averaging nearly 160 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has accounted for for a large portion of that success, however, and the team finds itself thin in the backfield late in the year. Starter J.K. Dobbins was lost for the season to an Achilles tear in Week 1, though undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell burst onto the scene midway through the campaign. The latter took on an increased workload upon entering the lineup, and he averaged 8.4 yards per carry in his brief stretch of action.
However, Mitchell suffered an ACL tear last month, sidelining him until 2024. The Ravens will therefore depend largely on Gus Edwards and Justice Hill at the RB spot in the postseason. Cook could attempt to carve out a limited role in Baltimore’s backfield while looking to boost his free agent stock in the process.
The Cowboys have not been as strong as expected on the ground this season, the first full campaign with Tony Pollard in place as the undisputed lead back. Playing on the $10.1MM franchise tag in 2023, Pollard has posted a career-low 4.0 yards per carry average; his impact in the passing game (295 scoreless yards on 53 receptions) has also left something to be desired. He will still enter the postseason as the clear option atop the depth chart, though.
Dallas’ second-leading rusher, Rico Dowdle, has amassed just 315 yards this year. That has contributed to the Cowboys’ middling performance in their ground attack (averaging 112 yards per contest, 14th in the NFL). Cook may have a clearer path to playing time with Dallas, but questions will be asked with respect to how much he will be able to contribute to close out the campaign. The longtime Vikings starter logged just 67 carries with the Jets this year, the first time he failed to receive triple-digit attempts since 2018.
David Moore of the Dallas Morning News tweets the Cowboys are simply doing their due diligence on Cook at this point. With further developments likely to take place in the near future, the interest shown by Dallas, Baltimore and any other RB-needy teams will be a storyline to follow closely in advance of the postseason.
I guess the question for those two teams is how bad do you want him. Do you risk letting him pass through waivers and signing with the other or do you just eat the remainder of this $1M contract and claim him.
one of these lucky teams is going to end up with 1 rush for 6 yards
Is there a team priority on who gets wet s to select him? The Browns are thin at RB and have been all season. If it wasn’t for Flacco they wouldn’t even be in this position.
Browns & Texans make sense
I’d like my Dolphins to get him . he could add depth and actually be used. I don’t think he will get used much in Dallas with Pollard in place even tho he hasn’t produced as expected. I this pollards production is due to how Dallas is using him and they plays they call
I think he’d like to play for Buffalo. He’d get a chance to play with his brother.
Except Buffalo has great depth at RB, including “Playoff Lenny” Fornette, who they can elevate from the practice squad. Cap money is tight for 2024, so unless there’s an injury in practice this week, that scenario is probably not happening.
He had the chance in the off-season and didn’t. They chose harris and Murray.
He chose a higher paycheck…
I think that would be an awesome situation. and I think that would actually appeal to him also. you can never have enough running back depth in the postseason
I’d rather have OL depth. The roster, practice squad and cap are only so big.
Cowboys should start him just so pollard goes back to RB1 numbers in the RB2 slot
Think it is too late and he would be depth only.
Gus and Justice are better for the Ravens style.
Pollard and they have the bigger back Dowdle.
Browns maybe
He is not better than the Fins rbs if they actually healthy.
Bills have plenty.
Eagles don’t like running the ball and they don’t even use Penny so Cook does not have a shot.
9ers are fine
Bucs need to use Edmond mor
Rams are fine
The NFL robbed the Lions and granted the Cowboys a win they don’t deserve last Saturday so why not let them sign Cook. The Cowboys are frauds!