FRISCO – You may have heard Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy speaking glowingly about four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook and his work at recent practices since signing onto the practice squad in late August.
“I’m glad he’s here,” McCarthy said of Cook leading up to Dallas’ Week 2 game on Sunday against the visiting New Orleans Saints. “Impressive. Phenomenal feet. I’ve had a chance to watch him a lot. He looks really good. He really fits into the room very well.”
“Really good!” “Impressive!” “Phenomenal!” … all sound wonderful. But if the 29-year-old running back is truly “impressive and phenomenal,” why was he still on the P-squad last week? And why, as of this weekend, does he remain on the Junior Varsity and not as a part of the 53-man roster?
The truth? If all fans and media heard from McCarthy is “impressive and phenomenal,” y’all weren’t really listening.
It has been written in recent days that it is “unclear whether Cook would earn an elevation to the game-day roster” in the opening weeks of the season. But it is not unclear at at.