Big news hit social media this week as Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper posted a precarious photo on his Instagram story. The star wideout posted a picture of his ankle in a walking boot on Instagram, captioned with “Surgery was a success.” The surgery was a surprise for everyone as Cooper was not listed on the injury report before or after the regular season finale against the New York Giants. Reports are that Amari Cooper’s ankle surgery was not serious and the procedure was a success. Any time a team’s star wide receiver has surgery, a level of concern is warranted. Surgeries are always concerning, and especially a lower extremity injury for one of the most explosive players in the National Football League.
Amari Cooper Has Ankle Surgery, What’s Next?
The Cowboys Offense Needs a Healthy Amari Cooper
It’s no secret that Cooper’s footwork is very valuable, not only to the star wide receiver, but to the Dallas Cowboys as well. Without the explosiveness and elite-level footwork, Cooper would most definitely struggle to get separation and continue running physically after the catch. Furthermore, losing a step on deep routes could result in more offensive struggles. Cooper’s inability to stretch the field vertically would result in defenses loading the box. It’s no secret that more defenders on the line of scrimmage would lead to Ezekiel Elliott struggling to run the football. Dallas, when healthy, has a well-oiled machine with Elliot’s ground-and-pound style of running and Cooper’s ability to pressure defenses deep. Dak Prescott benefits the most from this dynamic as he has become lethal on play-action passes. Removing or hampering one of these aspects would cause a stale Cowboys offense in 2021.
Dallas Has a Difficult 2021-2022 Schedule
If Cooper were to miss time during the off-season, it could lead to a slow start. It will be paramount for Dallas to start fast in 20201 with a schedule that includes the Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Without their dynamic pass-catcher, Dallas would be severely handicapped in these contests.
Amari Cooper Ankle Surgery Not Serious
Fortunately for Dallas, Amari Cooper’s ankle surgery doesn’t appear to be serious. Cooper’s ankle injury was believed to have occurred in the second half against the Giants and is considered as “Some post-season maintenance with minimal rehab,” according to Ian Rapoport.
#Cowboys WR Amari Cooper, who posted a picture on Instagram following surgery, had an ankle scope, source said. Some post-season maintenance with minimal rehab. pic.twitter.com/z76jYCl4UH
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2021
If the reports are true, and Cooper’s surgery wasn’t serious, the Cowboys leading wide receiver should not miss any time. He should be able to resume off-season work outs quickly. This is crucial to his off-season maintenance and rehab. NFL stars train vigorous to prepare themselves for the gauntlet that is the regular season. The rash of injuries this year was likely linked to the abbreviated off-season thanks to COVID-19 gathering restrictions. Some notable injuries include: Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, Kenny Golladay, and pretty much the entire San Francisco 49ers team. Cooper is also a player that has had injuries in the past. The wideout needs to emphasize his off-season workouts and prepare his, now questionable, ankle for a tough up-coming schedule.
Injuries for the Cowboys
The Cowboys have been bitten by the injury bug as of late. The Boys in Blue have suffered injuries to multiple guys on the defensive side of the ball. Dallas has also had to replace the entire offensive line and has spelled Ezekiel Elliot late in the season. Undoubtedly the biggest injury was Dak Prescott in week five. Adding to the current question marks, Amari Cooper now requires ankle surgery. Assuming Andy Dalton wouldn’t win a playoff game, the best thing for Dallas was to miss the playoffs this season. This extended time away from full-contact is sure to help the Cowboys get right and move on from the disaster that was 2020. The best thing for Dallas is to continue getting healthy and prepare for the upcoming 2021-2022 season. Cowboys nation should expect to see a healthy Prescott, Cooper, offensive line, and hopefully some new defensive pieces to help the struggling defensive unit get off the field.
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