Getty Amari Cooper
Relatively speaking, the Dallas Cowboys were gifted good news on Amari Cooper.
Results of Cooper’s “precautionary” MRI, taken Wednesday, revealed a left knee contusion for Dallas’ top wide receiver, who’s unofficially questionable to play Sunday night against the Minnesota Vikings.
Straight from the horse’s mouth, though, comes the reassuring indication that Cooper will be in the starting lineup at AT&T Stadium.
“I mean, you know, something that is very manageable. I’ll see what I can do tomorrow in practice,” he said Thursday, per the Cowboys’ official website.
Cooper was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and did not practice Thursday. Although testing showed a minor issue, put a gun to the Pro Bowl pass-catcher’s head and he’ll admit he’s not fully confident his knee will coalesce with the heel, ankle and quad injuries he’s gutted through in 2019.
“It’s not really a question that I can answer right now until I start back practicing,” he said.
Cooper’s availability Friday should tell us what we need to know about his status for the Vikings game. Taking him at his word, he’ll be active and on the field for the first snap, but projected usage beyond that will remain murky until further information is known.
“I mean, I want to play, you know what I’m saying, to be able to put up numbers to help my team win,” Cooper said. “Whatever I’ve got to do to do that, I’m cool with it.”
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Background on Cooper’s Knee Injury
Cooper briefly exited Monday’s win over the Giants in the first half and was inspected on the sideline by the training staff, leading some to believe he’d be ruled out. He wasn’t, and he went on to lead Dallas in receiving. Crisis averted — or so it was thought.
“I just went up for a ball and came down on it the wrong way,” Cooper said Thursday, per the team’s official website.
Speaking after the game, Cooper revealed that he initially hurt his knee in last week’s practice and Monday’s incident was a reaggravation. He eventually returned to action, due in part, Cooper quipped, to the #BlackCat that stole the show at MetLife Stadium.
He finished with four receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown — a 45-yard catch-and-run in which he dusted New York’s secondary, effectively cementing victory. Cooper paces the 5-3 Cowboys with 42 grabs for 701 yards and six TDs through eight games.
If Amari Can’t Go …
It would be a big blow to Dallas’ air attack, facing the NFL’s eighth-best pass defense, which also ranks fourth in points allowed (17.6), seventh in total yards (320.9) and eighth against the run (225.1).
Assuming Cooper is inactive or hobbled, the Cowboys would likely lean on Ezekiel Elliott to control the clock in a potential defensive struggle. Michael Gallup, who showed up on the injury report (full participant) with a knee injury, vaults to WR1 territory in this scenario, while Randall Cobb and Tavon Austin see more snaps.
For depth purposes, the club could dress Devin Smith — who started the season strong before devolving into a healthy scratch — and perhaps utilize deep reserves Cedrick Wilson and Ventell Bryant.
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL
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