The San Francisco 49ers signed veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks to their practice squad on September 22, adding a player with 9,811 career receiving yards as the team tries to stabilize an injury-hit receiver room.
Cooks is a 12-year veteran who has played for six previous teams and is in his 13th year in the NFL. He is also set to turn 33 on September 25th, making him one of the most experienced wideouts available to the 49ers as they look for short-term help at the position.
Why the move matters
The signing comes after an offseason in which Ricky Pearsall was out for the year and De’Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson were expected to miss an extended period of time. That left the 49ers with a thinner group than usual, and Kyle Shanahan said ahead of Week 3 that the team would try out some players at receiver.
Cooks gives San Francisco a known veteran option. Last season, he played 15 games for the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills, catching 24 passes for 279 yards. In two playoff games for the Buffalo Bills, he added five catches for 78 yards.
Over his career, Cooks has totaled 734 catches, 9,811 receiving yards and 60 touchdowns. He has also produced six seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards, showing the kind of track record that can help a team weather injuries even if the role is smaller than it used to be.
What comes next
Because Cooks was signed to the practice squad, he does not immediately change the 49ers' depth chart in the same way a roster addition would. Still, with multiple injuries affecting the position, he gives San Francisco another experienced name to evaluate if the team needs more help in the near term.
For a receiver room under pressure, that kind of move can matter quickly.
