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Sep 1, 2026
Cooper has not been treated like a hidden rookie. The staff has referenced his playmaking, Smith has kept finding him, and the late-camp four-catch practice shows growing trust. His best route to an early role is using quickness after the catch and being assignment-clean enough to stay with the starters.
Strengths: Quickness, yards-after-catch potential and visible chemistry with the starting quarterback. He can turn a short completion into a bigger gain and has already handled regular camp targets.
Weaknesses: The leap from camp flashes to regular-season route detail is significant. He has to become reliable against physical coverage and on downs where the ball is not specifically designed for him.
