Before Dalvin Cook was even released by the Vikings, he was getting linked with Dallas. The Cowboys, having recently parted ways with their own long-time franchise running back, have shown a renewed appreciation for the running game and could be in the market for a veteran runner.
One of the alleged reasons the Cowboys divorced their previous play-caller was because of head coach Mike McCarthy’s desire to be more balanced on offense. With McCarthy now calling plays in 2023, he can be as run-heavy as he wants – the only problem is without Ezekiel Elliott on the roster anymore, Dallas is short on proven weaponry.
Tony Pollard, the new RB1 in Dallas, is more than capable of headlining a unit. But Pollard has never carried the ball more than 200 times in a single season so betting the offensive identity on his ability to significantly increase his workload may be a bigger gamble than McCarthy is willing to take.
It should be of no surprise when Cook’s release became official on June 9, the rumors in Dallas began to ramp up.
It wasn’t long ago the 27-year-old was considered one of the top RBs in the NFL. On the books for roughly $14 million against the salary cap, Minnesota must have determined his money was better used elsewhere. Hence Cook’s release.
The question is how much does Cook have left in the tank and would he be a good fit with the Cowboys?