Brandin Cooks, that veteran journeyman wide receiver we’ve seen bounce all over the league, just landed on the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad. Yeah, you read that right. The dude who’s been a Saint, a Patriot, a Ram, a Texan, a Cowboy, and a Bill is now chilling with a division rival. Talk about a plot twist in the NFC West, huh?
The Journeyman’s Journey and a Ram’s Regret
This guy, Cooks, has been around the block since getting drafted back in 2014 by New Orleans. He’s seen it all, played for pretty much everyone. Remember his run with the Los Angeles Rams? It was actually a decent stint, not gonna lie. He racked up over 100 receiving yards in that 2018 Super Bowl. Can you imagine? If he and Jared Goff had just connected on that one touchdown, who knows, maybe he would have been the Super Bowl MVP! We’d be talking about a whole different legacy for him, maybe even for Goff, and a different outcome for the Rams that year. But hey, the past is the past, right? They didn’t win, Cooks ended up dealing with injuries pretty often while he was there, and while he was solid, he’s probably not making any “all-time great Ram” lists. Still, you gotta respect his production and how long he’s stuck around. The guy’s drama-free, too, which is always a plus in this league.
Niners’ Receiver Room Is a Disaster Zone
So why the practice squad move for a player like Cooks, who’s got a solid NFL career under his belt? Well, it looks like the 49ers are in absolute shambles at wide receiver right now. They’ve had a brutal run of injuries this season. Ricky Pearsall, De’Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson? All out with injuries. And if that wasn’t enough, Mike Evans, their veteran wideout, is dealing with a hip injury and needs to be managed this week. So yeah, the Niners are desperate. Cooks, at 32 years old, was the 20th pick way back in 2014 out of Oregon State. He actually returned to the Saints in 2025 for a bit but got waived in November after he asked for his release, then finished out that year with the Buffalo Bills. Now he’s back in the NFC West. The 49ers are giving him a shot to get up to speed and compete, and honestly, with their current injury woes, he might just find himself playing a lot sooner than anyone expected. Who’s to say he doesn’t end up in another Super Bowl push with the way things are going for them? Crazy.
Stafford Is Still Slinging It
Speaking of the NFC West, let’s talk about the reigning MVP, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. That dude was absolutely lights out on Monday night against the New York Giants. He put on a clinic, dropping four touchdowns in a 28-6 win. He was just slicing and dicing the Giants’ defense, finding Terrance Ferguson, Kyren Williams, and Davante Adams twice for those scores. Seriously, what a performance! According to Pro Football Focus, that was Stafford’s tenth game with at least four passing touchdowns since 2021. Wanna know who he’s tied with for the most in that span? Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. So yeah, Stafford is still a major problem for defenses, and it looks like he’s getting back to his top form early in the season. That’s a tough break for anyone playing the Rams, especially in this division.
It’s early in the season, but the NFC West is already throwing curveballs. We’ve got Cooks trying to make a comeback with a rival, and Stafford out there reminding everyone why he’s the MVP. You just know every game is gonna be a battle this year. What’s next? We’ll be watching closely to see if Cooks can actually make an impact for the Niners given their injury crisis, and if Stafford can keep up this insane pace. Get ready, because it feels like this division is going to be wild until the very end.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Turf Show Times.
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