Dalvin Cook’s visit to the Cowboys wasn’t just a visit. Per the official NFL notice sent to all teams, Cook had a tryout on Tuesday in Dallas.
It’s an important distinction. A visit is more casual. A tryout entails getting out of the field and showing the team what the player can do.
For someone like Cook, who has been available throughout free agency to any interested team, it means that the Cowboys wanted to put him through the paces before deciding what to do. Does he still have what he had as of two years ago in Minnesota?
It’s a fair question, given that he didn’t play nearly as much last year as he had in past seasons. Cook had 67 carries for 214 yards with the Jets. He was released in early January and signed with the Ravens. He had eight carries for 23 yards in a playoff win over Houston. He did not play in the AFC Championship loss to the Chiefs.
Via Clarence E. Hill, Jr. of ALLDLLS.com, the Cowboys decided that Cook is “in good shape but they are only interested in possibly signing him to practice squad at this point.” Hill adds that Cook also might visit the Colts.
Cook, who turned 29 on August 10, had four 1,000-yard rushing seasons in Minnesota. During the 2022 season, he made key plays in several close wins for a team that won the NFC North.
If he’s still in good shape, Cook presumably has something to add, to the right team at the right time. For now, that might not be the Cowboys.