Source: Niners signing veteran receiver Cooks to practice squad

Free agent wide receiver Brandin Cooks is signing with the San Francisco 49ers' practice squad, initially to get up to speed for games, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday. Cooks, 32, joins a Niners team that has lost receivers Ricky Pearsall, De'Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson to injury this season. Veteran receiver Mike Evans also will need to be managed this week with his hip injury. Cooks was the 20th overall pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2014 out of Oregon State and spent the first three years of his career there. He returned to New Orleans in 2025 but was waived in November after he requested his release. Cooks then joined the Buffalo Bills for the remainder of the year. Cooks was part of a controversial call that ultimately played a large role in ending the Bills' season. In a divisional round game against the Denver Broncos, a downfield pass from quarterback Josh Allen in overtime appeared to be initially caught by Cooks but then taken away as he came to the ground. The play was ultimately ruled an interception by Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian. The Bills never got the ball back and then-coach Sean McDermott loudly expressed his displeasure in the officiating process after the game. Cooks has also played for the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys. He has played in two Super Bowls -- LII and LIII -- with the Patriots and Rams, losing both. He has 734 career receptions for 9,811 yards and 62 total touchdowns in 12 seasons.