Philadelphia Eagles fans instantly fell in love with wide receiver Darius Cooper's story after joining the team as an undrafted rookie out of Tarleton State.
Cooper made quite the splash early with great success in the first preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he caught six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. That performance propelled him onto the 53-man roster, given how he played on offense and special teams.
Entering the season, Cooper played minimally on offense and was more on special teams. He last played in the Week 3 Los Angeles Rams game, where he injured his shoulder and was sent to the IR shortly afterwards.
After the news of A.J. Brown dealing with a hamstring injury and missing practice, Cooper had his 21-day practice window opened and participated in the last two days of practice. It led many to believe that Cooper would return after Brown was ruled out of the Week 8 game against the New York Giants.
Philly's favorite 2025 training camp player will be back on the field
Just a day before facing the Giants, the Eagles announced that Cooper was activated onto the 53-man roster. He will join DeVonta Smith, Jahan Dotson, John Metchie, and Xavier Gipson as the healthy receivers in the game.
Smith will most likely get most of the targets from Jalen Hurts in the passing game. Dotson and Metchie will be next in line to play on the field. So, where does Cooper lie in the passing game?
During the Rams game, Cooper saw his offensive reps increase, lining up in the slot. He showed some good film with blocking in the running game and helping Brown out in the passing game.
Hurts and Cooper built an excellent rapport together in the passing game during training camp, so the franchise quarterback trusts the receiver. If Cooper has to play in the game, Hurts won't be afraid to throw it his way.
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While Eagles fans would love to have Brown on the field instead, Cooper has earned his NFL stripes to be on the roster. It'll be fun for the fan base to see him on the field once again.