Ex-Jets bust Dalvin Cook set to make Cowboys debut vs. 49ers

Dalvin Cook is expected to make his 2024 debut for the Cowboys on Sunday. 

The ex-Jets running back will be elevated from Dallas’ practice squad ahead of Sunday night’s game against the 49ers, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that Cook got first-team reps during Cowboys practice this week. 

Cook, 29, signed to the Cowboys’ practice squad in August after a disastrous season with the Jets in 2023. 

Coming off four straight Pro Bowl appearances, Cook inked a one-year, $7 million deal with Gang Green before last season, but never could catch on after the emergence of Breece Hall in the backfield. 

Cook ran for just 214 yards on 67 attempts (3.2 yards per attempt) over 15 games before he and the team mutually agreed to part ways in early January.

In four seasons before coming to New York, Cook was one of the top running backs in the NFL, rushing for 5,024 yards and 43 touchdowns on the ground with the Vikings. 

Sitting at 3-3 heading into Week 8, the Cowboys have featured the worst rushing attack in the NFL thus far in 2024. 

They rank dead-last in the league with just 77.2 yards on the ground per game. 

After opening the season with Ezekiel Elliott as the primary running back, the Cowboys have relied on fifth-year veteran Rico Dowdle, who has 246 yards on 59 carries (4.2 yards per attempt) this season, in recent weeks. 

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said Dowdle is expected to get the most looks out of the backfield going forward. 

“He definitely needs to touch the ball more, without a doubt.”