The Dallas Cowboys have announced that wide receiver Brandin Cooks will be placed on injured reserve and will miss at least four games due to a leg infection.
Initial reporting regarding this infection determined that it arose in Cook’s leg after he remained in New York for a procedure following the Cowboys’ win over the Giants in Week 4. However, ESPN’s TBraodd Archer said there has not been any clarification about what the procedure was for.
Although Cooks is coming off a solid year with the Cowboys, finishing the 2023 season with 657 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on only 54 receptions, he has struggled to find his footing to begin this season.
The 31-year-old receiver has collected just nine receptions through the team’s first four games of the 2024 season, resulting in only 91 receiving yards and one touchdown. The Cowboys are only 2-2 on the year.
Cooks now joins an extensive list of Cowboys players who are dealing with significant injuries to begin the season. Defensive end Demarcus Lawrence and linebacker Micah Parson are each expected to miss Week 5 as well.
With Cooks now absent from at least four Cowboys games, the franchise could look outside the organization for players who could make an impact while he recovers.
Potential trade options include Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams and Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper, who are each candidates to be traded to another team sometime this season.
Despite the plethora of available options on both the trade market and in free agency, the franchise has reportedly been happy with the current wide receivers on the team, with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones saying that the team is excited about rookie wide receiver Ryan Flournoy on the field.
“I’m anxious to see him make his first catch with the Dallas Cowboys. He may be something special for us. On a personal basis, he’s got Dez Bryant stuff to him. Boy, is he an athlete. I’m glad to see him get this opportunity … he could show out,” said Jones, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota.
