Zach Berman·
This was another strong practice from Cooper, who is putting together a standout training camp (again).
He’s not only positioning himself for a spot on the 53-man roster for the second consecutive year; he’s pushing his way into potential playing time at wide receiver. Hurts name-checked him without prompting during an NFL Network interview this week, and that should not be dismissed. Hurts is often intentional with what and who he discusses. Cooper had a strong rep against Quinyon Mitchell, an All-Pro cornerback. He makes contested catches, and he adjusts to the ball. It’s important not to overreact in either direction to a single practice, but when it happens over a series of practices, it’s hard to ignore. If I were making a 53-man roster today, I’d put Cooper over Johnny Wilson as the “dirty work” receiver. Perhaps there’s room for both. Even more, the idea of Cooper filling that role might need to shift if he keeps playing. He’s graduating from the plucky, small-school, undrafted-rookie storyline and is now in the conversation about how he can help the team. I remember when I covered the New York Giants in 2010 and 2011, Victor Cruz started to reconfigure the way he was viewed in Year 2 from that longshot who worked his way up the depth chart to a piece on offense. It might still be premature with Cooper, and Cruz is a lofty benchmark to hit, but you’re judged by the plays you make. Cooper keeps making plays.