The Philadelphia Eagles have officially averted a crisis. During Monday night’s 10-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers, wide receiver Darius Cooper left the game early after hurting his shoulder. What made the injury seem worse is that Cooper had spent time on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, and although he eventually returned, that isn't stopping fans from being concerned about his outlook.
Fortunately for the Birds, it seems like the injury may have just been a scare. According to The Athletic's Zach Berman, the 23-year-old receiver was a full participant during Wednesday’s practice, which is a great sign for his Week 11 availability.
Eagles Get Major Darius Cooper Relief on Wednesday
Cooper, who signed with Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent, has appeared in five of the team’s nine games but has yet to record a catch. In fact, he's yet to be targeted by quarterback Jalen Hurts once, despite being on the field for 57 offensive snaps so far.
Cooper is often the WR4 on the Eagles' depth chart, which limits his opportunities. Having said that, he clearly has some potential buried in him, waiting for the right opportunity to burst. A five-year player at Tarleton State, Cooper finished his career with a program record 3,185 receiving yards and 14 100-yard receiving games. Last season, his senior year, he was also named an AP First-Team All-American, catching 76 passes for 1,450 yards and 14 touchdowns. Cooper’s yards ranked second among all Division I receivers.
He also showed promise during the NFL preseason, hauling in seven catches on 11 targets for 90 yards, a touchdown, and five first-down grabs.
As the Eagles gear up for the second half of the season and another Super Bowl run, they may need to rely on unlikely contributors — especially if injuries pile up down the stretch. And while Cooper has yet to show what he can do at the NFL level, he, against all odds, made the team’s 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent, meaning head coach Nick Sirianni's staff has to have some sort of belief that he can step up when need be.
Cooper’s decorated college career, combined with his impressive preseason performance, shows that the team has trust in his abilities. With depth behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith thin, the Eagles couldn’t afford to lose a receiver with Cooper’s potential.
Luckily for the Birds and their fans, they can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Cooper, at least through one practice, was a full participant — a promising sign as the team gears up for its playoff push.