Darius Cooper appears to have done enough to earn a spot on the Eagles’ 53-man roster.
The wide receiver is not in uniform for Friday night’s preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals, a strong indication that Philadelphia plans to keep him after a solid training camp. Cooper was already expected to survive final cuts, and sitting out the finale reinforces that outlook. Cooper strengthened his case by making plays with the first-team offense while DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon dealt with hamstring injuries. The additional opportunities allowed him to build chemistry with Jalen Hurts and show he could produce against some of Philadelphia’s top defensive backs.
That work mattered in a crowded receiving group. With Smith, Lemon, Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown in the mix, Cooper needed to give the Eagles a reason to keep him as they assembled their new-look offense. He also contributed against New England, with receptions of 25 and 13 yards from Andy Dalton helping set up a Will Shipley touchdown. Philadelphia has not announced its initial 53-man roster, and Cooper’s absence alone does not make his spot official. Still, the circumstances suggest the Eagles have seen enough to feel comfortable keeping him.
The next challenge would be turning that roster spot into a consistent role in Sean Mannion’s offense. For now, Cooper appears positioned to enter the regular season with Philadelphia.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Darius Cooper sits out preseason finale, signaling an Eagles roster spot
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