Amari Cooper already has four touchdown catches and has made a major impact in the Dallas Cowboys’ offense through the first month of the season, and his performance is even more impressive when you consider that he has yet to play a game at full strength.
Cooper dealt with a left foot injury during the preseason and training camp, though he said he has played through a similar issue in the past and never expressed concern over it. He also tweaked his right ankle against the Miami Dolphins two weeks ago, so he is playing on two bad wheels at the moment. However, he downplayed the ailments while speaking with reporters this week.
“They’re not bad,” Cooper said, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “They are not bad at all. They’re healing up. I’m healthy enough to go out there and perform.”
Cooper has acknowledged that he is less than 100 percent, but he insists the injuries have not limited him.
“It depends on where I’m at. You know what I’m saying?” he added. “If I’m like 75 percent, which I haven’t been since Week One. I’ve always been over that. So I think I’ve always been good enough to go out there and do my job.”
Even if Cooper is playing at 90 percent, that implies he is not fulfilling his full potential. His chemistry with Dak Prescott has been on point since last season, however, and he has 28 catches for 286 yards to go along with the four scores this season. While he would probably be making even more plays if he were fully healthy, he has already made it clear he intends to play through the foot issue rather than giving it time to heal. As long as the condition doesn’t worsen, he should continue to make a major impact.
