Cowboys Sign Former Pro Bowl Running Back Dalvin Cook

The Dallas Cowboys have added another veteran running back to their roster, signing four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook, who is coming off the worst season of his career.

The Dallas Cowboys have made a significant addition to their running back room, signing four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook following a disappointing season with the New York Jets.

Cook, who turns 29 in August, rushed for just 214 yards on 3.2 yards per carry and didn't have a touchdown in 15 games with the Jets in 2023. As his workload decreased toward the end of the year, Cook requested to be released and was cut ahead of the regular-season finale.

Cowboys Sign Former Pro Bowl Running Back Dalvin Cook

Despite his lackluster season, the Cowboys are optimistic that Cook can turn things around in 2024. After spending the majority of the 2023 offseason rehabbing from shoulder surgery, Cook has been able to lift weights again this offseason and feels "the best he has in years," according to NFL Media.

Cook was one of the game's top running backs prior to 2023. He rushed for at least 1,110 yards in each season from 2019 to 2022, including a 1,173-yard campaign in 2022. He also had eight rushing touchdowns that year to go with 39 receptions for 295 yards and two touchdowns.

The Cowboys didn't make any major running back investments after losing Tony Pollard in free agency this offseason. They brought back another top running back from the late 2010s, former Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott, on a one-year deal, and kept a few backups who didn't see the field much for them in 2023.

Even though Elliott enjoyed a lot of success during his first tenure in Dallas, the 29-year-old's production has tailed off consistently over the past several years. He rushed for 645 yards on 3.5 yards per carry and three touchdowns last season with the New England Patriots, splitting carries with Rhamondre Stevenson.

Still, Elliott had the most productive 2023 out of all the running backs on the Cowboys' roster and is listed as the starter on their depth chart. Rico Dowdle, who rushed for 361 yards and two touchdowns last year, is also expected to have a role out of the backfield for Dallas.

The Cowboys' decision to sign Cook fell a day after the NFL's roster cutdown day. It also came two days after the team gave star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb a four-year, $136 million extension, ending his holdout less than two weeks before the start of the regular season.

Cook is expected to compete with Elliott and Dowdle for playing time in the Cowboys' backfield. His experience and production in the past make him a valuable addition to a team that is looking to improve upon its 12-5 record from last season.