Dalvin Cook, the former running back for the New York Jets, is back in the NFL.
Cook inked a contract with the Dallas Cowboys, according to information shared on social media by NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero.
Cook had been waiting for the right chance, and he always believed Dallas had that chance. A significant addition in Big D,” Pelissero continued.
Cook Flamed Out Completely in 2023 With the Jets
Cook agreed to a $7 million, one-year contract on August 15, 2023, to play for the Jets.
Cook failed to live up to the expectations despite being the highest-paid running back in the previous offseason.
Cook played for the green and white in fifteen games. At the end, he averaged 3.2 yards per clip and concluded with 214 rushing yards. For the four-time Pro Bowler, both of those numbers represented career lows.
Cook’s offseason shoulder surgery in 2023 may be a contributing factor in his lack of output, according to Pelissero, who noted on social media that Cook “says he feels the best he has in years.”
But Pelissero’s wayward bullet missed the Jets on Twitter, originally on X.
“Over his career, Dalvin Cook has averaged 92 yards from scrimmage per game—or 107 if you exclude last season, when he was unable to establish a rhythm with the Jets but had a successful postseason run with Baltimore,” Pelissero stated.
In 2024, the Jets chose a different approach in the backfield.
Cook was recruited by the Jets in the latter stages of free agency, mostly as insurance.
Breece Hall was in New York, but he had just recovered from an ACL tear. Each ruptured ACL is unique and needs to be handled individually. There are a ton of factors that could make someone heal more quickly or take longer to get back to their regular activities.
The Jets signed Cook because they were unsure of the version they would receive. Theoretically, he would have permitted Gang Green to be understanding when Hall returned to the football field.
Hall was clearly not from Earth. He gained 26 and 83 yards, respectively, on his first two rushes of the 2023 season in Week 1 of Monday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills.
Hall ultimately participated in all 17 games, and he was able to concentrate on improving rather than recovering throughout the winter.
The Jets made the decision to start a young backfield this offseason rather than one loaded with veterans.
In the April draft, New York drafted two backs: Isaiah Davis and Braelon Allen. In the fourth round, Allen was selected at pick number 134, and in the fifth round, Davis was selected at pick number 173.
Both players are listed as the RB2 and RB3, respectively, and made the roster. Additionally, New York maintained a fourth running back when Israel Abanikanda was included in the roster.
Izzy gave an excellent effort against the New York Giants in the preseason finale, which helped him to keep his position with the Jets. For eighty-three rushing yards, he carried the rock nine times. Abanikanda had an average of 9.2 yards per play, and his 45-yard touchdown run to the house was the day’s highlight play.
