Cowboys Designate WR Brandin Cooks & DE Marshawn Kneeland To Return

The Dallas Cowboys have designated WR Brandin Cooks and second-round DE Marshawn Kneeland to return from injured reserve, per Patrik Walker.

This opens a three-week window for them to practice with the team before they have to be added to the active roster. 

Kneeland is recovering from a meniscus injury, while Cooks had an infection in his knee after getting it scoped. 

Cooks, 31, is a former first-round pick of the Saints back in 2014. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $8.4 million contract when he was traded to the Patriots in 2017. 

New England later picked up his fifth-year option for the 2018 season before trading him to the Rams for first- and sixth-round picks. From there, Cooks agreed to a five-year extension worth $81 million with Los Angeles, only to be traded to the Texans in 2020.

Cooks was set to make a base salary of $12.5 million for the 2022 season when he agreed to a two-year, $39.6 million extension with Houston. However, the Texans traded him to the Cowboys in 2023 for a mid-round pick. 

In 2024, Cooks has appeared in four games for the Cowboys and caught nine passes on 19 targets for 91 yards receiving and one touchdown.

Kneeland, 23, was a three-year starter at Western Michigan and earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2023. The Cowboys selected him with the No. 56 overall pick in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

He signed a four-year, $6,832,646 contract that includes a $1,789,196 signing bonus and will carry a $1,242,299 cap figure for the 2024 season.

In 2024, Kneeland has appeared in five games for the Cowboys and recorded 10 total tackles, one tackle for loss and one pass deflection.