Cowboys Rumors: Dalvin Cook Not Ruled out as Option amid Elliott, Dowdle's Struggles

The Dallas Cowboys have struggled to produce on the ground through the first two weeks of the season, and a veteran running back could be the solution to their problems.

According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, the Cowboys will consider whether adding veteran speedster Dalvin Cook, who is currently on their practice squad, will boost their rushing attack that is led by Ezekiel Elliott and Rico Dowdle.

"The Cowboys' run game is a problem and they know they need to get more out of it," Graziano stated. "They like the way Dalvin Cook has looked since they signed him to the practice squad, and they haven't ruled out the possibility of activating him to the roster if they don't get more production out of the Ezekiel Elliott/Rico Dowdle tandem at some point."

Elliott and Dowdle have both produced 56 rushing yards through two games, with Elliott scoring the team's lone rushing touchdown. Their workload has been evenly split, with Elliott having 16 carries and Dowdle having 15. The Cowboys' average of 85.0 rushing yards per game has them ranked 25th in the NFL.

Cook signed to Dallas' practice squad at the end of August in hopes of proving he's worthy of a spot on the 53-man roster. The 29-year-old is coming off a disappointing 2023 campaign that was split between the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens.

In 15 games with the Jets, Cook rushed for 214 yards and averaged 3.2 yards per carry, the first time in his career that he averaged less than four yards per rush. He joined the Ravens in January and totaled 23 yards on eight carries in their AFC Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans, but he didn't play in the AFC Championship against the Kansas City Chiefs.

While Cook's age appears to be catching up with him, he's still a four-time Pro Bowler who can be effective in the right situation. Graziano noted that it's unlikely that he will be on the roster for Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens, but another lackluster performance would prompt the Cowboys to evaluate whether he'd be an improvement over their current crop of running backs.

"That move doesn't sound likely to happen this week, but if they struggle to run the ball against the Ravens on Sunday, don't be surprised if Cook ends up getting a look," Graziano stated.