Getty Dalvin Cook faces a potential suspension due to off-field conduct.
Former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook was given a second chance to win a ring in his first year away from Minnesota after joining the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18 — and Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer Michael Irvin isn’t happy about it.
Cook, who signed a $6.8 million deal with the New York Jets in the offseason, was unhappy with his role on a deteriorating Jets offense and was released on January 3, leading him to sign with the Ravens the following day.
On a January 5 airing of Fox Sports’s “Undisputed,” Irvin called out Cook for joining Baltimore’s top-ranked rushing attack after Cook has strived the past year to prove he’s still one of the league’s most productive backs since leaving the Vikings.
“I think it’s a poor decision on Dalvin Cook’s part,” Irvin said. “Why and how are you going to prove your worth when [Baltimore is] already where they are [as a rushing offense]? How can you tell these other teams that you [make] an impact?”
Michael Irvin is Bitter Dalvin Cook Chose the Ravens Over the Cowboys
GettyCowboys Hall of Famer Michael Irvin
Irvin’s point is valid, but only in a vacuum.
It’s convenient to bring up Cook’s desire to prove his worth but deny him of every player’s dream of winning a Super Bowl. Irvin made this statement a day after saying the Cowboys needed to sign Cook.
Irvin argued that Cook could have benefited more from signing with Dallas and helping to improve their 14th-ranked running game.
Irvin added that “sometimes things get done, before they get done,” signaling that Cook’s move to Baltimore may have been written before the Cowboys got a chance. That could be true, considering Cook’s agent, Zac Hiller, represents Ravens wide receiver Zay Jones and has a connection to Baltimore’s front office.
But to fault Cook for joining an even better playoff situation is a sign of some bitterness on Irvin’s part.
Irvin ignored the fact the No. 1-seeded Ravens (13-3) have the clearest path to a Super Bowl as favorites in the AFC and are the team to beat with the best record this season.
Either team would be a great fit for Cook as their No. 2 running back. The Ravens rank third in run-block win rate (73%) while Dallas is right behind with a 72% winning rate as the sixth-best run-blocking line in the NFL, per ESPN Analytics.
Irvin could have played it fair and said the Cowboys missed out on a player who could bring some upside in the postseason.
Instead, Irvin’s argument summarized: Dallas didn’t make a mistake, Dalvin did — words of a jealous lover.
Dalvin Cook signs with the Baltimore Ravens, @MichaelIrvin88 calls it a “poor decision” :👀
Dalvin Cook Can Turn Around 2023 Season With Ravens
Getty ImagesDalvin Cook
Irvin’s argument on Cook’s behalf holds some merit. Cook declined to take a pay cut last offseason leading to the Vikings releasing him in June 2023.
He maintained he wanted to be valued by his next team and found the Jets to be an ideal landing spot.
But New York’s offensive line crumbled, ranking 31st in run-block win rate (68%). the Jets also rank dead last in time of possession amid its carousel of backup quarterbacks in place of Aaron Rodgers.
One of the league’s best big-play threats, Cook’s longest run of the season went for just 14 yards and he has only four rushes of 10 or more yards on the year. He’s averaged 14.3 yards per game and a season-high 35 yards on the ground.
Cook has only seen double-digit carries once this season as the Jets have not offered many opportunities for the 28-year-old back.
Cook’s days as a lead bell-cow back may be behind him, but if he can break off a few explosive plays in the postseason, he could prove he’s still a difference-maker with the ball in his hands.