Dalvin Cook signs with Ravens: What can ring-chasing RB bring to playoff run?

The Baltimore Ravens have signed free agent RB Dalvin Cook, according to his agency.

Cook received $6.8 million from the New York Jets this season, but a consistent role never materialized for the seven-year NFL vet. He will now have a little over two weeks to prepare for Baltimore's divisional-round matchup. The Ravens, at 13-3, are the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

In 15 appearances (one start) for New York, Cook registered 67 carries for 214 yards. He also caught 15-of-20 targets for 78 receiving yards. For the first time in his NFL career, Cook will not record a regular season touchdown. The expectation is that Cook will ramp up and learn the system over the next couple of weeks, leaving him out of Baltimore's Week 18 game plan.

Ravens sign Dalvin Cook to improve RB depth ahead of Super Bowl pursuit

This is a great outcome for Cook individually. We can speak frankly. There isn't a single postseason contender that would start Cook at RB. So, instead of a delusional pursuit of the biggest role, Cook has signed with the NFL's best team. The Ravens are far from Super Bowl shoo-ins, but there hasn't been a more consistently dominant team in the AFC all season — or the NFL, for that matter.

Baltimore currently leads the NFL in rushing yards per game (159.7). That number is skewed slightly by the Lamar Jackson of it all, but don't discount the impact of the Ravens' ground attack. Gus Edwards is responsible for 762 yards and 13 touchdowns running the football. Justice Hill is responsible for another 387 yards and three touchdowns, while veteran Melvin Gordon III is way overqualified for third-string duties. The Ravens have achieved all this success without J.K. Dobbins, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 1.

Cook shouldn't factor much into the postseason rotation. This was his worst individual campaign by a significant margin. One can blame the Jets' coaching staff — Cook certainly did — but there was a vast gap in effectiveness between Cook and New York's RB1, the young and explosive Breece Hall. Cook averaged a career-low 3.2 yards per carry this season, far worse than Edwards (4.1) or Hill (4.6) in Baltimore. The Ravens' O-line is a serious step up from New York's unit, but Cook simply doesn't have the burst he once did. It's hard to say a 28-year-old is over the hill, but that is the cruel nature of NFL running backs. The shelf life is often short.

There's not much risk, financial or otherwise, for the Ravens. Cook does have one of the most impressive RB résumés in football. Maybe he can find another gear with a change of scenery and the Super Bowl as a motivator. At worst, he's an experienced vet who can help in the locker room and on the sideline. There are worse places to turn for depth in case of emergency. Untimely injuries are a way of life in the postseason. If Baltimore finds itself in dire need of RB help, Cook at least offers a faint whiff of upside.

In the end, Cook profiles as almost exclusively a change-of-pace option until further notice. The Jets signed him with grand expectations and were sorely disappointed. The Ravens are probably tempering their expectations accordingly.