Cowboys elevate Dalvin Cook for Week 8 game vs 49ers

Dalvin Cook will be getting his first opportunity with the Cowboys on Sunday night.

It’s time for the Dallas Cowboys offense to cook. During an appearance on Friday with 105.3 The Fan, Stephen Jones alluded to Dalvin Cook potentially hitting the field this weekend for the first time as a Cowboy.

“Mike (McCarthy) and (OC Brian Schottenheimer) have been talking to us about how it’s about time for him to get his opportunity. We’ll see how everything goes tomorrow and make that call.”

Now, the speculation is confirmed. It was announced on Saturday that Cook will be elevated ahead of Sunday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers.

It’s no secret that Dallas has struggled to get its rushing offense through the first half of the season. Per NFL Pro, the Cowboys’ rushing attack ranks 22nd in success rate (38.3 percent) and 32nd in rushing yards per game (77.2).

When Cook signed with the Cowboys practice squad before the season, Mike McCarthy said he liked what he saw from his workout but would need a few weeks to adjust to the new offense and verbiage. The adjustment period has been way longer than expected.

To McCarthy’s credit, he was patient with his running back room to see what they could do with more opportunities. Outside of Rico Dowdle, the team may have seen enough.

Cook spent the 2023 season with the New York Jets and had a brief run with the Baltimore Ravens in the playoffs. The four-time Pro Bowl back couldn’t find his footing with the Jets offense, rushing for 214 yards on 67 carries. Cook’s rushing success rate was 38.8, the lowest of his pro career. Having watched the Jets offense last season, it is okay to give him a brief pass in what was a terrible situation for any offensive player.

Finally earning an opportunity with Dallas, there is pressure on Cook to give the backfield and offense a much-needed boost. Running against the 49ers could be a tough matchup as they currently rank 12th in the league, allowing 112.9 rushing yards per game. However, if the Cowboys want to see what Cook can provide the rest of the way, throw him to the wolves with nothing to lose.

With this elevation, there could be a ripple effect. Does this mean Dowdle will have fewer snaps on offense? Or is former franchise superstar Ezekiel Elliott the odd man out? The team has two practice squad elevations remaining for Cook before he needs to be a member of the active roster.

Perhaps they will evaluate their running back rotation over the next few weeks with a few elevations in their back pocket. After that, all bets are off for what Dallas does next. Right now, Cook could be the spark the Cowboys desperately need.