{"id":101614,"date":"2021-01-08T20:21:17","date_gmt":"2021-01-09T01:21:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=101614"},"modified":"2021-01-08T20:21:17","modified_gmt":"2021-01-09T01:21:17","slug":"injury-news-in-dallas-amari-coopers-ankle-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/01\/08\/injury-news-in-dallas-amari-coopers-ankle-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"Injury News in Dallas: Amari Cooper Has Ankle Surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Big news hit social media this week as Dallas Cowboys<\/a> wide receiver\u00a0Amari Cooper<\/a> 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 \u201cSurgery was a success.\u201d 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<\/a>. Reports are that Amari Cooper<\/a>\u2019s ankle surgery was not serious and the procedure was a success. Any time a team\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Amari Cooper Has Ankle Surgery, What’s Next?<\/h2>\n

The Cowboys Offense Needs a Healthy Amari Cooper<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s no secret that Cooper\u2019s 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\u2019s 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 \u00a0Ezekiel Elliott<\/a>\u00a0struggling to run the football. Dallas, when healthy, has a well-oiled machine with Elliot\u2019s ground-and-pound style of running and Cooper\u2019s ability to pressure defenses deep. Dak Prescott<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

Dallas Has a Difficult 2021-2022 Schedule<\/h3>\n

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<\/a>, Kansas City Chiefs<\/a>, New Orleans Saints<\/a>, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/a>. Without their dynamic pass-catcher, Dallas would be severely handicapped in these contests.<\/p>\n

Amari Cooper Ankle Surgery Not Serious<\/h3>\n

Fortunately for Dallas, Amari Cooper\u2019s ankle surgery doesn\u2019t appear to be serious. Cooper\u2019s ankle injury was believed to have occurred in the second half against the Giants and is considered as \u201cSome post-season maintenance with minimal rehab,\u201d according to Ian Rapoport.<\/p>\n

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#Cowboys<\/a> 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<\/a><\/p>\n

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n