FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys are going to be without veteran wide receiver Brandon Cooks for over a month now as the team has decided to place him on injured reserve.
Cooks had a procedure last week on his knee that led to an infection, which required a clean-out surgery last weekend. While it was initially reported Cooks would miss this one game in Pittsburgh, it now appears this will be a multiple-week injury, prompting the Cowboys to place him on injured reserve.
NFL rules state players on IR can return after four games, meaning Cooks would not be eligible to play until the Nov. 10 game against the Eagles. Cooks will definitely miss the Steelers game on Sunday, followed by a home game with the Lions and then two road games in San Francisco and then Atlanta.
Without Cooks, the Cowboys will likely lean on Jalen Tolbert as the starter opposite of CeeDee Lamb. Look for more snaps for Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin and rookie Ryan Flournoy, who has been inactive the first four games.
The team also two receivers on the practice squad in Jalen Cropper and Kelvin Harmon.
So far this season, Cooks was off to a slow start after four games. He did catch the team's first touchdown of the season against the Browns on Sept. 8, but through the month of September, he only had nine catches for 91 yards and the one score.
That was about the same kind of production Cooks had last year through the first five of the season (nine catches for 73 yards, 0 TDs). But he found a groove last year and finished with 54 receptions for 657 yards and eight touchdowns.
The Cowboys are hopeful Cooks can still have that kind of production this year, but it will definitely have to wait at least four games.
