The San Francisco 49ers are calling on Brandin Cooks.
The 13-year veteran who signed on to the Niners’ practice squad last week is being promoted to the active roster, signaling that he is likely to make his debut Sunday against the Broncos.
Cooks, 33, took the roster spot of KhaDarel Hodge, who was released. The veteran receiver who also contributed on special teams showed up on the injury report this week with a knee issue.
The 49ers also filled Cooks’ spot on the practice squad with another receiver, bringing back Malik Turner, who was in training camp with them and appeared in three games last season.
Cooks last played in 2025 for the Bills, who he signed on with and contributed to their postseason run after being waived by the Saints. He needs only 189 yards to reach 10,000 for his career and waited for the right situation to find a home for this season.
Cooks grew up in Stockton, about two hours east of Santa Clara, rooting for the 49ers, and now gets the chance to fill a crucial role after they have been besieged by injuries.
Mike Evans left last week’s game with a rib injury, becoming the 49ers’ fifth receiver to get hurt since the start of training camp, though there is still hope that the fellow 33-year-old is able to play on Sunday. Hodge, with an undisclosed knee issue, would be the sixth.
Already on injured reserve are Ricky Pearsall, Christian Kirk, De’Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson.
The Niners also signed receiver Dante Pettis to its practice squad to help with the team’s long injury list.
The only hold-up for Cooks to be activated was to get up to speed on Shanahan’s playbook. The head coach said Wednesday that he “picked it up real fast last week and I’m sure it’ll only be easier this week.”
