Cowboys offense on track to suffer big blow with Brandin Cooks injury
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks was suspiciously added to Wednesday's injury report with a knee injury. He was listed with a "did not practice" designation although the Cowboys had an off day so it was nothing more than a projection. Head coach Mike McCarthy refused to go into any detail on Wednesday's press conference […]
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks was suspiciously added to Wednesday's injury report with a knee injury. He was listed with a "did not practice" designation although the Cowboys had an off day so it was nothing more than a projection.
Head coach Mike McCarthy refused to go into any detail on Wednesday's press conference but did say Cooks had "a chance to play" in Week 2.
On Thursday, David Moore from Dallas Morning News offered some clarity as he reported Cooks had suffered a sprained MCL.
How long could WR Brandin Cooks be out with a sprained MCL?
There are no reports on the severity of Cooks' injury yet so it's unclear what the situation looks like. The Cowboys haven't ruled out Cooks for this weekend's game and are reportedly not expecting it to be a multi-week injury. But we can look at overall expectations for a player in his situation.
In a 2014 article for NFL.com, Matthew Matava, who was named the president of the National Football League Physician Society in 2013 and remains a member of the Research and Innovation Committee, explained what the timetable can be for this type of injury:
"The majority of MCL injuries do not require surgery. A lot of players in the NFL who have an MCL sprain return to play between two to six weeks depending upon the position they play and the severity of the injury."
If Cooks does miss time, it will be a big blow to the Cowboys offense. After all, he was brought here to help free CeeDee Lamb of the eternal double teams and bracket coverage. Of course, it'll be a big change for Jalen Tolbert – who had a very promising preseason – to step up if it comes to that.
For now, Cooks' prospects of playing on Sunday versus the New York Jets look uninspiring. Fortunately for them, they've got a defense that makes them significant favorites. You can read why below.
Cowboys can redefine ‘quarterback hell’ vs Jets in Week 2
It won’t be pretty.
Featured image via Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
