The San Francisco 49ers are adding veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks because injuries have rapidly depleted one of the team’s most important position groups only two weeks into the 2026 NFL season.
San Francisco agreed to add Cooks to its practice squad after losing Demarcus Robinson to a high ankle sprain against the Miami Dolphins. The 49ers were already without Ricky Pearsall for the season, rookie De’Zhaun Stribling for an extended period and Christian Kirk, while Mike Evans is managing a hip injury.
Cooks is no longer the 1,000-yard receiver he was during his prime, but he gives the 49ers an experienced, proven vertical threat who can learn Kyle Shanahan’s offense on the practice squad and potentially move onto the active roster once he is ready.
Why Did The 49ers Sign Brandin Cooks?
The primary reason is simple: San Francisco is running out of healthy wide receivers.
The Associated Press reported that the 49ers agreed on September 22 to sign Cooks to the practice squad as reinforcement for an injury-depleted receiving corps. [AP]
The immediate trigger was Robinson’s high ankle sprain in San Francisco’s 35-13 Week 2 victory over Miami.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Robinson could miss between three and six weeks and was a likely candidate for injured reserve. [49ers]
That injury added to a receiver group that had already lost several players.
Which 49ers Wide Receivers Are Injured?
San Francisco has been hit by a succession of receiver injuries before and during the first two weeks of the season.
| Receiver | Status |
|---|---|
| Ricky Pearsall | Out for the season after knee surgery |
| De’Zhaun Stribling | Injured reserve after ankle injury and surgery |
| Demarcus Robinson | High ankle sprain; expected to miss several weeks |
| Christian Kirk | On injured reserve and not yet ready to return |
| Mike Evans | Managing a hip injury |
Shanahan said after the Miami game that Robinson suffered a high ankle sprain and could be an injured-reserve candidate. He also said the 49ers were still waiting for Kirk to become ready to return. [49ers]
The AP reported that Pearsall underwent season-ending knee surgery during training camp and that Stribling’s ankle injury is expected to sideline him for roughly two months. [AP]
What Happened To Demarcus Robinson?
Robinson suffered a high ankle sprain during San Francisco’s Week 2 win over Miami.
He had emerged as an important member of the receiving rotation after the earlier injuries to Pearsall and Stribling.
Shanahan said high ankle sprains generally require between three and six weeks of recovery and acknowledged that Robinson was likely to be considered for injured reserve. [49ers]
Robinson’s injury left San Francisco facing the possibility of playing a significant portion of the early season without three receivers who had been expected to have substantial roles.
What Happened To Ricky Pearsall?
Pearsall’s 2026 season ended before Week 1.
The former first-round pick suffered a knee problem during training camp and eventually required season-ending surgery.
Pearsall had entered camp as one of San Francisco’s projected starting receivers, so losing him immediately reduced the depth Shanahan expected to have available entering the regular season. [49ers]
What Happened To De’Zhaun Stribling?
Stribling injured his ankle during San Francisco’s Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne.
The rookie second-round pick was placed on injured reserve and underwent surgery. [49ers]
AP reported that Stribling is expected to miss approximately two months. [AP]
His absence matters because Stribling was one of the younger receivers capable of giving San Francisco vertical speed on the outside.
Is Mike Evans Injured?
Mike Evans is dealing with a hip issue, although the injury currently appears less serious than the problems affecting several of San Francisco’s other receivers.
Evans suffered the injury against Miami. Shanahan said the 49ers planned to manage his workload during the week rather than announcing that he would miss extended time. [49ers]
Even a relatively minor injury to Evans illustrates why San Francisco wanted another veteran receiver available rather than continuing to operate with little margin for another setback.
Is Christian Kirk Coming Back Soon?
Not immediately.
Shanahan said on September 21 that Kirk was not yet ready to return. [49ers]
That meant the 49ers could not simply wait for Kirk to solve their short-term receiver shortage following Robinson’s injury.
Who Are The Healthy 49ers Wide Receivers?
With Cooks initially joining the practice squad, San Francisco’s healthy active-roster receivers include:
- Mike Evans
- Deebo Samuel Sr.
- Jacob Cowing
- Jordan Watkins
- KhaDarel Hodge
Shanahan said Cowing, Watkins and Hodge were all candidates for expanded roles following Robinson’s injury. [49ers]
Cooks gives the team another option without immediately forcing one of those younger receivers out of the rotation.
Is Brandin Cooks On The 49ers’ Active Roster?
Not initially. Cooks is joining the practice squad.
The plan gives him time to learn terminology, routes and assignments before San Francisco determines whether he is ready for an active-roster role.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the intention is to ramp Cooks up with the expectation that he could eventually join the active roster. [San Francisco Chronicle]
That setup also makes the move relatively low-risk for the 49ers. They can evaluate how much Cooks has left without immediately committing an active-roster position to him.
Could Brandin Cooks Play In Week 3?
It is possible for a practice-squad player to be elevated for a game, but San Francisco has not announced that Cooks will play immediately.
Cooks must first begin learning Shanahan’s offense after spending the offseason unsigned.
Because he was not with another NFL team during training camp or the first two weeks of the regular season, conditioning and familiarity with the playbook are also considerations.
The Chronicle reported that San Francisco intends to give Cooks time to ramp up before potentially placing him on the active roster. [San Francisco Chronicle]
What Can Brandin Cooks Still Give The 49ers?
Cooks gives San Francisco experience, speed and a receiver with a long history of producing as a downfield threat.
At his peak, Cooks was one of the NFL’s most consistent vertical receivers.
He has recorded 1,000-yard receiving seasons for four different franchises, something accomplished by only Cooks and Brandon Marshall in NFL history. [San Francisco Chronicle]
Cooks is clearly not the same player he was during those seasons, but the traits that made him successful — route-running experience, an understanding of how to threaten defenses vertically and the ability to play multiple receiver positions — can still make him useful as a depth option.
Why Does Brandin Cooks’ Speed Matter?
San Francisco has lost multiple receivers who were capable of stretching defenses vertically.
Stribling and Robinson both gave the 49ers speed and the ability to force defensive backs to respect deeper routes.
Cooks has spent much of his career filling that type of role.
Sports Illustrated identified restoring a credible vertical threat as one of the reasons Cooks makes sense for Shanahan’s current receiving corps. [Sports Illustrated]
Even if Cooks is no longer consistently running past defensive backs the way he did in his 20s, the threat of deeper routes can help create space underneath for players such as George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel.
How Good Was Brandin Cooks In 2025?
Cooks’ 2025 numbers were modest, but he demonstrated late in the season that he could still make occasional impact plays.
Cooks split the season between the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills and finished with:
| Statistic | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Games | 15 |
| Receptions | 24 |
| Receiving yards | 279 |
| Touchdowns | 0 |
His best regular-season performance came against Philadelphia in Week 17, when he caught four passes for 101 yards, including a 50-yard reception. [NFL]
Cooks then caught five passes for 78 yards over Buffalo’s two playoff games. [CBS Sports]
Why Was Brandin Cooks Available?
Cooks entered the 2026 offseason as an unrestricted free agent and remained unsigned through the first two weeks of the season.
His age and declining recent production were major factors.
Cooks turns 33 on September 25 and has not produced a 1,000-yard season since 2021 with Houston. [San Francisco Chronicle]
That makes this substantially different from signing Cooks during his prime. The 49ers are not expecting him to become the centerpiece of their passing game.
They need a capable veteran who can provide depth while their younger and more prominent receivers recover.
How Did Brandin Cooks Finish The 2025 Season?
Cooks began 2025 with New Orleans before finishing the season and playoffs with Buffalo.
He had returned to the Saints on a two-year contract but caught only 19 passes for 165 yards in 10 games before he and New Orleans agreed to part ways in November. [Reuters]
Cooks cleared waivers and signed with Buffalo.
The Bills increasingly used him late in the year, highlighted by his 101-yard game against Philadelphia and five receptions during Buffalo’s two postseason games.
How Good Has Brandin Cooks Been During His NFL Career?
Cooks has been one of the most productive receivers of his generation.
Through the end of the 2025 season, he had:
- 734 receptions
- 9,811 receiving yards
- 60 receiving touchdowns
- Multiple 1,000-yard seasons
- 1,000-yard seasons for four different franchises
At the time he joined San Francisco, the Chronicle reported that Cooks ranked fifth among active NFL players in career receiving yards and sixth in both receptions and receiving touchdowns.
Which Teams Has Brandin Cooks Played For?
Cooks has had an unusually well-traveled career for a player with his level of production.
| Team | Years |
|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints | 2014-2016, 2025 |
| New England Patriots | 2017 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2018-2019 |
| Houston Texans | 2020-2022 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 2023-2024 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2025 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 2026 |
Cooks was originally selected by New Orleans with the 20th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. [Saints]
San Francisco becomes the seventh NFL franchise he has joined.
Is Brandin Cooks From California?
Yes. Cooks is a Northern California native.
He was born in Stockton, California, roughly 80 miles from Levi’s Stadium, before playing college football at Oregon State.
The move therefore gives Cooks an opportunity to play relatively close to where he grew up late in his NFL career. [San Francisco Chronicle]
Does Brandin Cooks Replace Demarcus Robinson?
He could help fill Robinson’s role, but the move should not be viewed as a guaranteed one-for-one replacement.
Cooks is initially on the practice squad and must learn San Francisco’s offense.
Meanwhile, Shanahan has specifically said Cowing, Watkins and Hodge will be asked to do more while Robinson is unavailable. [49ers]
Cooks gives Shanahan another veteran option once he is comfortable enough with the system to contribute.
Does Signing Cooks Mean The 49ers Are Worried About Mike Evans?
Not necessarily.
Evans is dealing with a hip injury, but Shanahan described the plan as managing his workload rather than indicating that he would miss several weeks. [49ers]
The larger issue is cumulative depth.
With Pearsall already gone for the year, Stribling on injured reserve, Robinson potentially headed there and Kirk not yet available, San Francisco was one additional injury away from becoming dangerously thin at receiver.
Does Signing Brandin Cooks Mean The 49ers Offense Is Struggling?
No. San Francisco’s offense has actually started the season extremely well.
The 49ers improved to 2-0 by beating Miami 35-13. Brock Purdy completed 20 of 22 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for a score. [Reuters]
George Kittle had 80 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Evans has quickly developed chemistry with Purdy. [49ers]
Cooks is therefore more about preventing an injury problem from becoming an offensive problem than attempting to repair an offense that is already failing.
Why Put Brandin Cooks On The Practice Squad Instead Of The 53-Man Roster?
The practice squad allows San Francisco to get Cooks into the building without immediately committing an active-roster spot.
Cooks did not spend training camp with the 49ers, so he needs time to learn Shanahan’s terminology and route concepts and get accustomed to working with Purdy.
It also allows San Francisco to evaluate his conditioning after he spent the offseason and first two weeks of the season as a free agent.
If the 49ers are satisfied with his progress, they can elevate him for games or eventually sign him to the active roster.
Could The 49ers Put Demarcus Robinson On Injured Reserve To Make Room For Cooks?
That is one possibility.
The Chronicle reported that placing Robinson on injured reserve could eventually create a roster opening for Cooks if San Francisco decides to promote him. [San Francisco Chronicle]
However, the 49ers must also consider the NFL’s limit on how many players can be designated to return from injured reserve during a season.
Because San Francisco has already accumulated numerous injuries, the team could decide to keep Robinson on the 53-man roster during his recovery rather than use another IR-return designation. [San Francisco Chronicle]
Could Brandin Cooks Become A Starter?
It is possible, but that is not what the signing guarantees.
Evans and Samuel remain established options, while younger receivers such as Cowing and Watkins are expected to receive opportunities.
Cooks first has to show that he remains physically capable of contributing and can quickly learn San Francisco’s offense.
If injuries continue or Cooks performs well, his experience gives Shanahan another player capable of handling substantial offensive snaps.
Why Does Brandin Cooks Make Sense For Kyle Shanahan’s Offense?
Cooks’ skill set gives Shanahan another way to create space for the rest of San Francisco’s playmakers.
Throughout his career, Cooks has been capable of attacking defenses downfield while also running intermediate comeback, crossing and sideline routes.
A defense that respects Cooks’ ability to run vertically can leave additional room underneath for McCaffrey, Kittle and Samuel.
That does not mean the 49ers expect Cooks to reproduce his prime production. At this stage of his career, his value may be as a complementary receiver who can run a specific package of routes, supply veteran depth and punish defenses that ignore him.
Is Signing Brandin Cooks A Risky Move?
The initial arrangement limits San Francisco’s risk.
Cooks is joining the practice squad rather than receiving an immediate starting role or a long-term commitment.
If he demonstrates that he can still contribute, the 49ers can increase his role. If he does not, they have not reorganized the offense around him.
For a 2-0 contender dealing with multiple injuries at the same position, that makes Cooks a relatively inexpensive insurance policy with substantially more experience than most available free-agent receivers.
Brandin Cooks 49ers Signing Timeline
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| July-August 2026 | Ricky Pearsall suffers a knee injury in training camp and undergoes season-ending surgery. |
| September 13 | Rookie De’Zhaun Stribling suffers an ankle injury in the season opener against the Rams. |
| September 19 | San Francisco places Stribling on injured reserve after he undergoes surgery. |
| September 20 | Demarcus Robinson suffers a high ankle sprain against Miami. Mike Evans also experiences a hip issue. |
| September 21 | Shanahan says Robinson could miss three to six weeks and may go on injured reserve. Christian Kirk is also not yet ready to return. |
| September 22 | Reports say San Francisco agrees to sign veteran Brandin Cooks to the practice squad with the intention of ramping him up toward an active-roster role. |
Brandin Cooks 49ers FAQ
Did the 49ers sign Brandin Cooks?
San Francisco agreed to add Cooks to its practice squad on September 22, 2026. The move was initially reported by ESPN and confirmed to the Associated Press by a person familiar with the agreement. [AP]
Why did the 49ers sign Brandin Cooks?
San Francisco needed veteran receiver depth after losing Ricky Pearsall for the season, De’Zhaun Stribling for an extended period and Demarcus Robinson for potentially three to six weeks. Christian Kirk is also unavailable, while Mike Evans is managing a hip injury.
Is Brandin Cooks on the active roster?
Not initially. He is joining the practice squad so he can learn the offense and work into football shape.
Will Brandin Cooks play immediately?
That has not been announced. San Francisco reportedly intends to ramp him up before determining when he should join the active roster.
How old is Brandin Cooks?
Cooks turns 33 on September 25, 2026.
What were Brandin Cooks’ stats in 2025?
He caught 24 passes for 279 yards in 15 regular-season games split between New Orleans and Buffalo. He added five catches for 78 yards during Buffalo’s two playoff games. [CBS Sports]
How many career receiving yards does Brandin Cooks have?
Cooks enters his 49ers tenure with 9,811 regular-season receiving yards, leaving him 189 yards short of 10,000. [San Francisco Chronicle]
How many touchdowns does Brandin Cooks have?
He has 60 career regular-season receiving touchdowns.
How many 1,000-yard seasons has Brandin Cooks had?
Cooks has recorded six 1,000-yard receiving seasons, including seasons with New Orleans, New England, the Los Angeles Rams and Houston.
Is Brandin Cooks replacing Demarcus Robinson?
He provides insurance while Robinson recovers, but he is not automatically inheriting Robinson’s entire role. Shanahan has also said Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins and KhaDarel Hodge will receive expanded opportunities.
Is Ricky Pearsall coming back in 2026?
No. Pearsall underwent season-ending knee surgery during training camp.
When will De’Zhaun Stribling return?
Stribling is on injured reserve following ankle surgery. AP reported that he is expected to miss approximately two months.
How long will Demarcus Robinson be out?
Shanahan said the normal range for a high ankle sprain is roughly three to six weeks. Robinson could be placed on injured reserve.
Is Brandin Cooks still fast?
Cooks is no longer expected to possess the same speed he had during his prime, but his career has been built around vertical route-running and stretching defenses. San Francisco is betting that he retains enough of that ability to provide a useful complementary option.
Why is the Cooks signing important if the 49ers are already 2-0?
The move is about protecting the offense against further injuries rather than reacting to poor performance. San Francisco has started 2-0 and Brock Purdy was nearly flawless against Miami, but the receiver depth behind its remaining starters has been dramatically reduced. Adding Cooks gives the 49ers an experienced insurance option before the injury problem becomes even more difficult to manage.
