Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer Oct 2, 2024, 12:21pm ET
CloseTodd Archer is an NFL reporter for ESPN covering the Dallas Cowboys. Archer has covered the NFL since 1997 and Dallas since 2003. He joined ESPN in 2010. You can follow him on Twitter at @toddarcher.
FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys will be without wide receiver Brandin Cooks for Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers — and perhaps longer — after an infection developed in his right knee following a procedure last week, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
Sources said the Cooks conducted a procedure in New York after last week’s win over the Giants. After experiencing symptoms upon his return to Dallas, Cox underwent surgery to remove an infection in his knee. This was carried out by team doctors over the weekend.
Coach Mike McCarthy confirmed that Cox will not play against the Steelers on Sunday.
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Cox (31 years old) had been suffering from a knee problem since the training camp, but that did not prevent him from training or playing. He performed a similar procedure over the summer during training camp without any issues.
In the first four games, Cox has nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, but four of those receptions — and a TD — came in the season-opening win against the Cleveland Browns.
The Cowboys have had difficulty getting Cooks going offensively since acquiring him in a trade from the Houston Texans in 2023. He came to the Cowboys with six 1,000-yard seasons to his credit with four different franchises (New Orleans, New England, Los Angeles Rams, Houston) .
Cooks, who had 54 catches for 657 yards and eight touchdowns last season, was a valuable mentor to the wide receivers and the entire locker room. During training camp, he showed off his top speed making numerous plays.
His absence leaves the Cowboys thin and inexperienced at receiver behind CeeDee Lamb, who has 20 receptions for 316 yards and two touchdowns.
The Cowboys have Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, Kavontae Turpin and Ryan Flournoy, who has not yet been active this season, behind Lamb on the 53-man roster. They combined for 21 receptions for 267 yards and two scores.
“I like the guys we have here,” McCarthy said. “[Flournoy] Definitely ready. I mean, he’s someone who was competing every week to get promoted. He will definitely have more opportunities. Galens, that’s more chances for them, Turbin. Yes, I love our coaching staff. “We’ll be good there.”
The last time the Cowboys made an in-season trade for a wide receiver was in 2018, when they acquired Amari Cooper from the Oakland Raiders for a first-round pick.
The Cowboys have $22.25 million in salary cap space, according to NFLPA numbers. However, they wanted to carry most of that money over to 2025, when they will need dead money room when contracts that include Zach Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence and Cox expire.
