Dalvin Cook: The tools are still here, I’m still that guy

Running back Dalvin Cook didn’t see much of the field during the 2023 season, but he wants to make sure he remains on the radar of teams that may be looking for veteran help in the backfield.

Cook signed with the Jets last summer, but Breece Hall’s return to health relegated him to a backup role that saw him run 67 times for 214 yards before being released late in the season. He signed to the Ravens’ practice squad and ran eight times for 23 yards in a playoff win over Houston, but did not play in the AFC Championship Game.

Cook has been training in Houston and he took some time this week to say that he believes he’s the same player he was when he posted four straight 1,000-yard seasons with the Vikings.

“I’ve got it all,” Cook said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC. “The tools are still here. I didn’t really get no reps last year. So, the legs are fresh, so the resume speaks for itself. I’m still Dalvin Cook. I’m still that guy. For me, I don’t like to toot my own horn. I just like to go out there, put my helmet on and line up on the grass.”

Some teams in the market for running backs will be trying to fill their need in the draft, so Cook may be waiting a little while longer before he finds a home for 2024.