FRISCO — Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy wasn’t looking to get specific about the latest injury to his football team Wednesday morning.
The team will be without starting receiver Brandin Cooks for an undetermined length of time because of an infection in his right knee. According to two people with knowledge of the injury, Cooks was dealing with knee discomfort before the Cowboys’ Thursday night Week 4 victory at the New York Giants. He remained in the New York/New Jersey area to get an injection.
Cooks went to an independent doctor for an injection to help with soreness in his meniscus, and that’s when the infection occurred.
When Cooks arrived back in North Texas, he went to team physician Dan Cooper to clean out the infection. Cooks will miss Sunday night’s game at Pittsburgh and his status for a Week 6 game against Detroit is uncertain.
It’s assumed Cooks will be available for the Lions game.
Assumed.
“Injuries happen,” McCarthy said. “Things come out of games. No, nothing surprises me, frankly. It’s all part of an NFL season.”
Cooks has endured problems with his knee since training camp, and that might be a reason why he’s off to a rough start. He has nine catches for 91 yards and one touchdown. The Cowboys, lacking elite speed in the receiving corps, need his presence. But CeeDee Lamb, the lead receiver, and Cooks, the No. 2, have some of the lowest averages in yard separation from defenders in the NFL at 2.1.
Cooks joins edge rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence as starters out with injuries for the Steelers game. Lawrence (mid-foot sprain) is on the injured list and will be out for four to eight weeks.
Parsons (ankle) is active but needs two to four weeks of recovery time.
McCarthy noted that Parsons and Lawrence sat in the front row of a team meeting Wednesday. The head coach praised the professionalism of Cooks and what he means to the young receivers who will be relied upon to contribute in his absence.
Yet, the coach isn’t pleased.
“This is what I’ve always done,” he said. “I don’t talk about specifics of a player’s injury, whether it’s a mid-foot sprain or some of the things we deal with. The specifics should be answered by the player.”
Cooks attended meetings Wednesday and spoke to the receivers who will play alongside Lamb on Sunday night. Lamb is the No. 1 target for quarterback Dak Prescott, and while he always gets more attention from defenses, someone must get open to make plays to ease the pressure on him. According to NextGen Stats, Lamb sees an average of 3.8 yards of cushion, which is tighter than what Cooks faces (6 yards).
The replacements’ résumés are lacking.
Jalen Tolbert is the No. 3 receiver and moves up the depth chart with Cooks out.
“He just told me to be me,” Tolbert said of his conversations with Cooks. “So get ready for the game and he knows what type of player that I’m capable of being. He knows what I’m made of and he’s looking forward to me going out there and getting opportunity.”
This season, Tolbert has 13 catches for 168 yards and a touchdown. Tolbert said he’s grown in developing a chemistry with Prescott, who will need him Sunday.
KaVontae Turpin, the main kick and punt returner, could get more offensive snaps. The Cowboys like his speed, and while he has only five catches, McCarthy noted that he loved his energy. “His athletic ability jumps off the charts,” McCarthy said. “A very easy player to read from a quarterback position.”
A pair of recent late-round draft picks might get more opportunities. Jalen Brooks (seventh round in 2023) has just three catches this season and Ryan Flournoy (a sixth-rounder in 2024) has been inactive the first four weeks of the season.
McCarthy said he believes in his current group. Despite Raiders receiver Davante Adams being on the trade block, it’s doubtful the Cowboys will entertain a roster move at the position.
“That’s the beauty of if you look at the top connections between quarterbacks and receivers,” McCarthy said. “Just look at Dak and CeeDee as they continue to play year in and year out, those relationships and connections, they take time to develop.”
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