The Aporia · The 49ers agree to deal to add WR Brandin Cooks to practice squad, AP source says

The 49ers agree to deal to add WR Brandin Cooks to practice squad, AP source says

Read the original at Toronto Star ↗

Cite

APA MLA Chicago

Dubow, J. (2026, September 22). The 49ers agree to deal to add WR Brandin Cooks to practice squad, AP source says. Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/sports/football/the-49ers-agree-to-deal-to-add-wr-brandin-cooks-to-practice-squad-ap-source-says/article_36e8e616-f0b3-5351-abc2-1b50f058ed99.html

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

The San Francisco 49ers are adding veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks to their practice squad due to injuries among their current receivers. A person familiar with the deal confirmed the agreement to the Associated Press on Tuesday, following ESPN's initial report. The move comes after Demarcus Robinson was injured and could miss several weeks, joining other sidelined players like Ricky Pearsall and De’Zhaun Stribling. Cooks, a 32-year-old veteran who had brief stints with New Orleans and Buffalo last year, brings experience to the depleted roster.

Written by AI on 2026-09-23, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

The San Francisco 49ers agreed to sign Brandin Cooks to their practice squad due to multiple injuries in their wide receiver room. A person familiar with the deal, speaking anonymously to The Associated Press, confirmed the news. Cooks, a veteran player turning 33 on Friday, joins after playing for New Orleans and Buffalo last season where he made 24 catches for 279 yards in 15 games. San Francisco has been hit hard by injuries: Demarcus Robinson is out with a high ankle injury expected to sideline him for weeks, Ricky Pearsall suffered a season-ending knee surgery during training camp, and rookie De’Zhaun Stribling will be out for about two months due to an ankle injury. This signing aims to bolster the team's depleted wide receiver corps as they start their NFL season.

Written for “NFL Team Signing Deal” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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Claims extracted

sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

11%

2 of 18 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

64/100

Toronto Star's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

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Sports

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articles that frame the event the way this one does

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Publisher

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Who wrote this

Josh Dubow

38 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 Micah Ford rushed for 150 yards, Nico Brown caught two TD passes and Caden High had nine catches for 103 yards and a score for the Cardinal. CJ Bailey threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns and Will Wilson ran for two short scores for the Wolfpack (3-4, 1-3).

2026-10-24 · assertive framing · Davis Warren's 4 TD passes lead Stanford to a 31-28 win over NC State

🔮 San Francisco 49ers star receiver Mike Evans will miss Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons because of Achilles tendinitis.

2026-10-24 · assertive framing · Mike Evans ruled out by the 49ers for Week 7 game against the Falcons

🔮 He didn’t return to the game and his status for this week’s game against Atlanta remains in question with coach Kyle Shanahan saying he didn’t know how long the issue will impact Evans’ ability to practice or play.

2026-10-22 · assertive framing · The 49ers are 'managing' Mike Evans' Achilles injury after he left last game early

🔮 San Francisco 49ers receiver Mike Evans left Monday night’s game against the Washington Commanders with an Achilles tendon injury and the team said he would not return.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · 49ers WR Mike Evans leaves game against Commanders with an Achilles tendon injury

🔮 Daniels was then sacked by Keion White and Ogbo Okoronkwo before he could throw up a desperation pass.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Purdy and the 49ers build a big lead and hold on to beat the Commanders 23-17

🔮 With five more pass attempts, he will take his place on top of the all-time leaderboards.

2026-10-18 · assertive framing · 49ers QB Brock Purdy is poised to take over top spot on career passer rating list

🔮 Lupoi told ESPN it would be a competition at quarterback going forward despite the heavy investment Cal has made in Sagapolutele.

2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Gio Lopez throws 4 TD passes to lead No. 21 Wake Forest past California 41-7

🔮 Defensive end Nick Bosa (calf) didn’t practice Thursday, but Shanahan said there’s a chance he could return this week after missing the past three games.

2026-10-16 · assertive framing · The 49ers open the practice window for WR Christian Kirk

🔮 Thrash upheld the suspension and Greenlaw will miss Monday night’s game against Washington and lose out on nearly $200,000 in pay for the week.

2026-10-14 · assertive framing · 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw loses appeal of a 1-game suspension for headbutt

🔮 Greenlaw will miss San Francisco’s game next Monday night against Washington pending an appeal on Tuesday.

2026-10-12 · assertive framing · NFL suspends 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw 1 game for headbutt

Also by Josh Dubow

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Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 38 articles by Josh Dubow →

Topics

49ers NFL New Orleans SANTA CLARA San Francisco

Subjects

Cooks PERSON · 6× 49ers ORG · 3× NFL ORG · 2× New Orleans GPE · 2× Robinson PERSON · 2× San Francisco GPE · 2× Brandin Cooks PERSON · 1× Calif. GPE · 1× SANTA CLARA GPE · 1× The San Francisco 49ers ORG · 1×

Narrative

San Francisco also lost projected starter Ricky Pearsall to season-ending knee surgery in training camp and rookie De’Zhaun Stribling to an ankle injury in the opener that is expected to sideline him for about two months.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-23

🔮 Robinson is expected to miss at least a few weeks and could go on injured reserve.

2026-09-23 · Toronto Star

The 49ers agree to deal to add WR Brandin Cooks to practice squad, AP source says · assertive framing

Claims (18 extracted, 2 hedged)

The San Francisco 49ers are adding veteran help for their injury depleted wide receiver room by agreeing to a deal to sign Brandin Cooks to the practice squad. asserted

49ers → add → squad

A person familiar with the deal said Tuesday that the team reached the agreement to add Cooks. asserted

team → say → Cooks

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the signing hadn’t been announced by the team. asserted

signing → speak → team

ESPN first reported the deal. asserted

ESPN → report → deal

The Niners needed help at receiver after key contributor Demarcus Robinson went down with a high ankle injury in Sunday’s win over Miami. asserted

Robinson → need → Miami

Robinson is expected to miss at least a few weeks and could go on injured reserve. uncertain

Robinson → expect → reserve

that → lose → months

Cooks, who turns 33 on Friday, spent last season with New Orleans and Buffalo, making 24 catches for 279 yards in 15 games. asserted

who → turn → games

He became a free agent in March and hadn’t signed with any team before committing to the 49ers. asserted

He → become → 49ers

The 49ers already have a veteran offense and became the first team in 22 years to start five non-quarterback skill players who are 30 or older in the same game in the win against the Dolphins. asserted

who → have → Dolphins

The old guys have produced so far with Mike Evans, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Kyle Juszczyk and Robinson all catching TD passes the first two games. asserted

Evans → produce → passes

Also, 30-year-old running back Christian McCaffrey has rushed for two scores. asserted

McCaffrey → rush → scores

The 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only team in NFL history to have six players 30 or older catch a touchdown pass in the same season, a record that could be broken by San Francisco if Cooks and McCaffrey do it. uncertain

Cooks → have → it

Cooks is one of two players in NFL history, along with Brandon Marshall, to have at least 1,000 yards receiving in a season with four teams. asserted

Cooks → have → teams

Cooks did it twice with New Orleans, and once each with the Los Angeles Rams, New England and Houston. asserted

Cooks → do → Rams

He has 734 catches for 9,811 yards and 60 touchdowns. asserted

He → have → yards

He needs 189 yards to become the sixth active player with at least 10,000 yards receiving in a career. asserted

He → need → career

The 49ers have an open spot on the practice squad and won’t need to make a corresponding move when they officially add Cooks. asserted

they → have → Cooks