Brandin Cooks is officially back on an active roster, snatched up by the San Francisco 49ers from their practice squad in a move that absolutely screams desperation from the Bay Area. While Cooks is an experienced player, this elevation comes hot on the heels of the 49ers releasing wideout Khadarel Hodge, who was reportedly dealing with a knee injury this week and wasn’t even seen at Thursday’s practice. It’s a quick turnaround for Hodge, who had only been signed to the active roster two weeks ago after starting on the practice squad.
The 49ers Wide Receiver Room is a MASH Unit
Seriously, the 49ers wide receiver room is looking like a total MASH unit right now, and honestly, you almost hate to see it. Almost. They started this season without Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk, which already puts them behind the eight ball. Since then, they’ve gone and lost De’Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson. Now, with Khadarel Hodge gone too, and Mike Evans currently dealing with a rib injury, their options are getting incredibly thin. Who’s left that’s healthy? Just Deebo Samuel, Jacob Cowing, and Jordan Watkins. That’s it. It’s a wild scenario considering Hodge actually got a solid chunk of work not long ago, playing 30 of 54 snaps against the Arizona Cardinals. That was second only to Deebo Samuel among their receivers. Now he’s out, and they are truly scrounging for bodies.
Cooks Steps In as Scramble for Depth Continues
So, who’s left to pick up the pieces? Enter Brandin Cooks, the veteran who just turned 33 last week. He was signed to their practice squad specifically because of all these receiver injuries, and now he’s getting the call up to fill that void on the perimeter. Cooks is a pretty accomplished player, sitting just 189 receiving yards away from hitting that sweet 10,000 career yards milestone. Last season, splitting time between the New Orleans Saints and the Buffalo Bills, he played 15 games, hauling in 24 passes for 279 yards. He even added five catches for 78 yards in two playoff games for the Bills. Beyond Cooks, the 49ers are also bringing back Malik Turner to their practice squad. Turner has been a mainstay in their offseason for a few years, spending time in training camp and on the practice squad in 2024, and then again all last season. He was in camp this offseason before being released, and now he’s back, potentially eyeing an elevation soon. It just goes to show how deep they are digging, especially since this marks their second receiver addition this week, with Dante Pettis, a former second-round pick, signing to the practice squad on Wednesday.
This whole situation just shows how desperate the 49ers are at a crucial position. They’re clearly scrounging for depth on the perimeter, trying to patch up a roster that’s been hit hard. Cooks could be a temporary fix, but with Malik Turner also back on the practice squad and Dante Pettis just signed, it feels like they’re just throwing darts at a board hoping something sticks. What a mess for the Red and Gold.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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