The Dallas Cowboys will be without one of their key players for at least four weeks, meaning they’ll need to rely on other veteran talents.
As they prepare for their Week 5 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cowboys announced on Saturday, October 5, that veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks has been placed on injured reserve. This decision ensures Cooks will be sidelined for at least a month.
“Cooks underwent a procedure on his knee last week, which led to an infection requiring a follow-up surgery over the weekend,” reported Dallas Cowboys staff writer Nick Eatman on the team’s official website. “Initially, it was believed Cooks would only miss this game in Pittsburgh, but it now appears the injury will keep him out for several weeks, prompting the move to injured reserve.”
When Can Brandin Cooks Return?
Under NFL rules, players on injured reserve are eligible to return after four games. This means the earliest Cooks could rejoin the team would be for the Cowboys’ November 10 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Until then, Cooks will miss games against the Steelers (October 6), the Detroit Lions (October 13), the San Francisco 49ers (October 27), and the Atlanta Falcons (November 3).
With Cooks sidelined, Eatman suggests the team will likely start Jalen Tolbert alongside CeeDee Lamb. Additionally, Jalen Brooks, KaVontae Turpin, and rookie Ryan Flournoy, who has been inactive for the first four games, are expected to see more playing time.
The Cowboys also have two receivers on the practice squad, Jalen Cropper and Kelvin Harmon, who could be called up if needed.
In a related move, the Cowboys signed linebacker Nick Vigil from the practice squad to the active roster. For their standard practice squad elevations, cornerback Amani Oruwariye and defensive end Carl Lawson have also been promoted to the active roster.
Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb Will Lead the Charge Without Cooks
Heading into the game against Pittsburgh, quarterback Dak Prescott acknowledges that the absence of Cooks will make things more challenging, but he’s not planning to take on extra pressure.
“I’m not coming out of the huddle thinking I need to be Superman,” Prescott told reporters on October 3. “But I’ve been able to break tackles, make plays that help us out. It’s about using my feet more, making the throws, and staying within my game. I don’t need to do anything extra.”
Prescott emphasized that his focus is on doing his best, and he expects the rest of the team to do the same.
“If I’m at my best and the guys are detailed in their approach and doing the same, I’m confident in how we’ll perform. I’m not worried about the results,” Prescott said.
He added that his goal is to “find a way to win, starting this Sunday, and keep moving forward, taking it one game at a time,” while learning from both the positive and negative aspects of the first few games.
