Dallas Cowboys’ Receiver Brandin Cooks Sidelined Due to Knee Infection

Extended Reactions to Cooks’ Absence in the Dallas Cowboys’ Lineup

Wide receiver Brandin Cooks of the Dallas Cowboys will be absent from the upcoming Sunday game with the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a post-surgical infection in his right knee. The infection might keep him off the field for an extended period.

The issue arose after Cooks underwent a surgical procedure in New York following the victorious game against the Giants last week. Symptoms of the infection surfaced upon his return to Dallas, which led to another surgery to cleanse the infected area, performed by the team’s medical staff over the weekend.

Brandin Cooks’ Performance and Impact

Despite having a persistent knee problem since the training camp, Cooks, 31, managed to keep up with his practice and game schedules. He underwent a similar procedure during the summer without any complications. Cooks, in the first four games, managed to secure nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, with four catches and the touchdown coming from the opening season victory against the Cleveland Browns.

Since acquiring him from the Houston Texans in 2023, the Cowboys have been striving to make the most of Cooks’ offensive skills. With a record of six 1,000-yard seasons from four different franchises (New Orleans, New England, Los Angeles Rams, Houston), Cooks has been a significant addition to the Cowboys. He contributed 54 catches for 657 yards and eight touchdowns last season and has been a guiding figure for the other receivers and the locker room.

Implications of Cooks’ Absence and Cowboys’ Plan

With Cooks’ absence, the Cowboys will have to rely on less experienced receivers like CeeDee Lamb. Lamb has accumulated 20 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns so far. The team also has Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin, and Ryan Flournoy, who has not been active this season, in their 53-man roster. These players have a combined record of 21 catches for 267 yards and two touchdowns.

The last time the Cowboys made a mid-season trade for a wide receiver was in 2018, when they acquired Amari Cooper from the Oakland Raiders for a first-round pick. The Cowboys currently have $22.25 million in salary cap space as per NFLPA data. However, they plan to roll over most of this amount to 2025 to cover the dead money from expiring contracts of Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Cooks.