Current:Home > MarketsThe Ravens are ready to give Dalvin Cook a shot, but there’s no telling what to expect -MoneyTrend
The Ravens are ready to give Dalvin Cook a shot, but there’s no telling what to expect
View
Date:2025-04-16 10:35:58
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Even John Harbaugh isn’t sure what to expect from Dalvin Cook this weekend.
The Baltimore coach sounds ready to put him on the field and find out.
“It’s new. We haven’t seen him out there,” Harbaugh told reporters Thursday. “Just like you guys haven’t seen him, we haven’t seen him.”
Cook was waived after 15 forgettable games this season for the New York Jets. He then joined Baltimore’s practice squad and was signed to the 53-man roster this week. Harbaugh says the running back will be an option Saturday when the Ravens play their postseason opener against the Houston Texans.
“I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for him and for us,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll be looking forward to seeing how he does.”
The Ravens posted the best record in the NFL during the regular season. Their offense, led by MVP candidate Lamar Jackson, doesn’t need any sort of shakeup. But there’s been a bit of a revolving door at running back due to a couple major injuries.
In Week 1, J.K. Dobbins went down with an Achilles tendon injury that ended his season. Eventually, undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell emerged as a speedy big-play threat. He averaged 8.4 yards per carry in a six-game stretch in November and December, and in every one of those games, he had a run of over 20 yards. Then he landed on injured reserve because of a knee injury.
Baltimore has the NFL’s top-ranked rushing game despite those injuries. Jackson’s running ability at quarterback is a big part of that. And Gus Edwards ran for 810 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Ravens during the regular season. He’s been an effective back, and not just in short-yardage situations.
Mitchell was flourishing when he went down in mid-December. Justice Hill has had his moments, scoring three rushing touchdowns and one receiving. Still, with four 1,000-yard rushing seasons to his credit, the 28-year-old Cook could provide an extra boost.
“I’m dialed up. I’m ready to give it all I have — everything I have in the tank,” Cook said. “It’s the playoffs, man.”
There isn’t much precedent for what Cook is trying to do — joining a new team just for the postseason and contributing. According to Sportradar, only two running backs since at least 1948 have made their franchise debut in a playoff game and rushed for positive yardage.
In 2008, eighth-year veteran Michael Bennett was released by Tampa Bay and picked up by San Diego in November. He finally played in the team’s playoff win over Indianapolis, rushing for 24 yards on four carries.
In 2014, Pittsburgh signed Ben Tate in late December, after he’d already played for Cleveland and Minnesota that season. Star running back Le’Veon Bell ended up missing the Steelers’ postseason game against Baltimore, and Tate had 19 yards on five carries. Pittsburgh lost, and Tate didn’t play in the NFL again.
Cook rushed for over 1,100 yards as recently as last season with Minnesota, so it’s certainly possible the move from New York’s offense to Baltimore’s could rejuvenate him a bit.
“They call (my) number, that’s where I’m going. I’m going to be on the field. I’m ready to make a play,” Cook said. “But for me though, honestly, Gus, Justice, they put the work in all year. You’ve got to credit those guys, so whatever my role is, whatever they call upon me, they’ll get a thousand percent out of Dalvin.”
NOTES: The Ravens did not activate TE Mark Andrews (ankle) from injured reserve. He hasn’t played since Nov. 16, although he was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday. ... Baltimore activated WR Devin Duvernay and DB Ar’Darius Washington from IR on Friday, and the Ravens elevated WR Dan Chisena and LB Josh Ross from the practice squad. ... Baltimore signed RB Melvin Gordon to the practice squad after he was waived earlier in the week.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
veryGood! (792)
Related
- Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
- Horoscopes Today, February 18, 2024
- Jada Pinkett Smith, the artist
- Louisville police suspend officer who fired weapon during 2023 pursuit, injuring 2 teens
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- CM Punk gives timeline on return from injury, says he was going to headline WrestleMania
- Attorneys for Georgia slave descendants urge judge not to throw out their lawsuit over island zoning
- Video shows horse galloping down I-95 highway in Philadelphia before being recaptured
- Average rate on 30
- Man hurt in crash of stolen car steals ambulance after leaving Virginia hospital in gown, police say
Ranking
- The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
- Horoscopes Today, February 20, 2024
- Former Marine and crypto lawyer John Deaton to challenge Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren
- 'Rust' movie shooting trials begin: What happens next for Alec Baldwin and his armorer?
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- A flight attendant accused of trying to record a teen girl in a plane’s bathroom is held until trial
- She’s not quitting. Takeaways from Nikki Haley’s push to stay in the GOP contest against Trump
- Odysseus lunar lander sends first photos in orbit as it attempts to make history
Recommendation
'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
NASCAR teams tell AP they’ve hired top antitrust lawyer on eve of Daytona 500
Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale's Son Apollo Is All Grown Up at Disco-Themed 10th Birthday Party
Iowa's Caitlin Clark sets sights on Pete Maravich with next game vs. Indiana
Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
Adult and four kids die in Missouri house fire that police deem ‘suspicious’
Louisville police suspend officer who fired weapon during 2023 pursuit, injuring 2 teens
First federal gender-based hate crime trial starts in South Carolina over trans woman’s killing