NFL Hall of Famer blasts former Vikings RB for signing with Ravens

Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin doesn't believe former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook made a good decision in signing with the Baltimore Ravens.

On Wednesday, the New York Jets decided to end their relationship with Dalvin Cook and the former Minnesota Vikings running back hit the waiver wire. Then, after clearing waivers, Cook was quickly signed by the top seed in the AFC this season, the Baltimore Ravens.

The move adds more depth to the Ravens' offensive backfield as they head into the playoffs. After Baltimore recently lost running back Keaton Mitchell to a season-ending injury, the team clearly felt they needed to improve the depth of their backfield before beginning their attempt to win a Super Bowl.

Not everyone believes Cook's decision to sign with the Ravens on Thursday was a good one, however. Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin revealed on Friday that he is part of the group that wasn't a fan of the former Vikings running back joining Baltimore's roster.

Michael Irvin says former Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook signing with Baltimore Ravens was a "poor decision"

During an appearance on the FS1 show "Undisputed" on Friday, Irvin had the following to say about the four-time Pro Bowler signing with a team that has the No. 1 rushing offense in the NFL.

"I think it's a poor decision on Dalvin Cook's part. 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?"

One of the other teams that was speculated to have some interest in signing Cook after his departure from the Jets was the Dallas Cowboys. So, knowing this, these comments from a former Cowboys wide receiver in Irvin aren't very surprising.

Irvin's main problem with the former Minnesota running back signing with the Ravens is that he's joining a team that already has the top rushing offense in the league. He doesn't think Cook will be able to prove he can still make an impact on an offense since Baltimore has already been successful this season without him.

Irvin mentioned that if the veteran running back were to have signed with Dallas, who currently ranks 14th in the NFL in rushing yards per game, he would have had a better opportunity to show that he still has the skills to make an impact on a team's offensive backfield.

While Irvin might think Cook is hurting his chances to land a lucrative deal with another team when he becomes a free agent at the end of the 2023 season, when the running back is signing with the No. 1 seeded team in the AFC in Week 18, his focus is likely more on winning his first-career Super Bowl ring than putting up huge numbers.

Also, with the Ravens already having the top rushing offense in the league, it's going to make Cook's job a lot easier if he ends up actually getting on the field for Baltimore before their 2023 season comes to an end.

If he's able to put up good numbers during the playoffs, he's still going to have plenty of interest from other teams during free agency later this year.

It really just sounds like Irvin might just be a little bitter that Cook didn't sign with the Cowboys, and that's perfectly fine for him to feel that way. But the former Minnesota running back clearly just wanted to be back with a team that takes the field in purple jerseys.