Why the 49ers are Signing WR Brandin Cooks

Of all the available free agents, the 49ers chose to sign Brandin Cooks.

Dec 28, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks (18) warms up in the rain before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wide receiver help is on the way.

The San Francisco 49ers are signing veteran Brandin Cooks to their practice squad, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Adding a receiver was a likely move for the 49ers today.

They lost Demarcus Robinson in the win over the Miami Dolphins to a high ankle sprain. Kyle Shanahan said they will most likely place him on Injured Reserve.

A position that was already thin with Ricky Pearsall, rookie De'Zhaun Stribling, and Christian Kirk out got even thinner. Not to mention Mike Evans is nursing a hip injury right now.

Unless the 49ers made a trade, signing a free agent was always on the table. Cooks played in 10 games for the New Orleans Saints last season before being traded to the Buffalo Bills, where he played in five games.

He didn't have any stats to be impressed with, tallying 24 catches for 279 yards and no touchdowns. However, 14 of his catches went for first downs, so that's one intriguing takeaway from his numbers.

Aside from desperately needing depth, the 49ers signed Cooks because of his speed. Look at the receivers that they just lost: Robinson and Stribling.

Those were their speed guys. Now, they don't have anyone in their offense who can stretch the field or at least be taken seriously enough for defenses to pay attention to them vertically.

Maybe Jacob Cowing could've been that, and he still can be. Cooks is gonna need some time to integrate himself into the 49ers' playbook.

But it seems the 49ers plan on Cooks to take on that vertical threat role. He can potentially be a chain mover as well on comeback routes to the sideline when defenders are worried about his speed.

That's likely what led to his 14 first-down catches last year. The 49ers weren't going to find anyone else in free agency to help them address their lack of a vertical threat.

Who better to sign than one of the best downfield threats in the last 10 years? No one should expect Cooks to come in and light it up. That's not possible for him anymore.

The last time Cooks had noteworthy production was in 2021 with the Houston Texans, where he reeled in 90 catches for 1,037 yards and six touchdowns.

Expect to him a minor role player.

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