Brandin Cooks didn’t look like a headline addition when the San Francisco 49ers brought him onto the practice squad after Week 2. At the time, the move felt more like depth insurance than anything else.
The 49ers were already thin at receiver, with De'Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson both dealing with ankle injuries. But with Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans expected to carry most of the load, Cooks seemed more like a nice extra piece than a necessary one.
That changed fast in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Evans was a major factor early, helping drive the offense before leaving with an apparent upper-body injury. He even turned one sequence into points by pitching a lateral to Samuel for a touchdown, then later hauling in a score of his own from Brock Purdy.
Once Evans was out, the 49ers’ injury issues only got worse.
That is where Cooks suddenly matters.
He was not promoted from the practice squad for the Week 3 game, since he is still getting up to speed in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. But that learning curve figures to accelerate now that Evans is dealing with a rib strain, according to subsequent reports. The timeline is still murky, though the absence could last a few weeks.
If that is the case, Samuel may be the only San Francisco wideout with real name recognition in the room.
Cooks is not a like-for-like replacement for Evans. He is the shorter, faster option, while Evans brings the size and body control that make him dangerous on 50-50 balls. Even so, the 49ers need someone capable of producing while Evans is out, and that is why Cooks suddenly looks far more important than he did just days ago.
He is 33 now and well past his peak, after a long NFL journey that began when the New Orleans Saints took him 20th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. But in the middle of a receiver crunch, the 49ers need whatever he still has left.
In Other News...
Fred Warner May Have Created A Rivalry Problem For The 49ers
Fred Warners postgame comments after the 49ers close win over the Arizona Cardinals added a little edge to a division race that already has plenty of it. The veteran linebacker said the earlier meetings were not true NFL ball because starters were sitting out in the fourth quarter, a remark that was really about the competitive feel of those games rather than a direct shot at anyone in particular.
Even so, the line has a way of landing differently when a division rival is involved, especially with the Los Angeles Rams dealing with their own adversity this season. If the Rams take it as a slight, Warner may have given them a little extra fuel, and the 49ers will find out soon enough whether a passing comment turns into something bigger on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Tyreek Hill Is Back On The Radar For Banged-Up 49ers
Tyreek Hill is back in the conversation after posting on social media that he is close to returning to work, a notable update for a receiver still working back from a severe knee injury. Around the league, that kind of message tends to spark instant speculation, and it lands especially hard for the 49ers, who have been hit by a string of wide receiver injuries this season.
San Franciscos need at the position has only grown with the recent rib injury to Mike Evans adding to the teams already banged-up receiving group. Hill has naturally become a name to watch, but for now the interest remains just that, with no official contact or deal reported as the 49ers and other teams monitor his recovery. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Purdy's Hot Start Is About To Face A Different Test
Brock Purdys early-season surge has drawn plenty of notice around the league, with Dan Orlovsky and Pat McAfee both publicly praising the 49ers quarterback and putting him in the early MVP conversation. The numbers have backed up the buzz, as Purdy has been near the top of the league in completion rate, touchdowns and touchdown-to-interception ratio while guiding San Francisco through a fast start.
The next step in evaluating just how real this run is may come this week, when the 49ers face the Broncos. Some of Purdys early opponents have not exactly presented elite defenses, so Denver offers a different kind of measuring stick for San Franciscos offense and its quarterback, who will be asked to keep the same rhythm against a sturdier test. [Read more 🡒]