Giants sign WR/return specialist Pharoh Cooper to practice squad (Report)

The Giants are adding depth in the return game.

The New York Giants have added to their practice squad ahead of the Week 9 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.

According to Art Stapleton of The Record, Big Blue has signed wide receiver and return specialist Pharoh Cooper. The 26-year-old was most recently with the Jaguars during this year’s preseason but was cut at the end of August.

Giants have signed WR/returner Pharoh Cooper to the practice squad.

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) November 3, 2021

This comes in the midst of various injuries in the Giants receiver room, which has, in turn, limited the team’s options at returner.

Sterling Shepard is expected to miss some time with a quad strain while Dante Pettis is dealing with a shoulder injury. C.J. Board is also likely out for the year with a broken arm.

Pettis and Board were options in the return game when healthy. So was safety Jabrill Peppers, but the fifth-year player is done for the season after sustaining a ruptured ACL and high-ankle sprain.

In 2017 while with the Rams, Cooper’s efforts as a returner led him to earn a Pro Bowl nod. He was also a first-team All-Pro as a kick returner and second-team All-Pro as a punt returner.

That year, Cooper returned 32 punts for 399 yards as well as 34 kicks for 932 yards and one touchdown. He led the league with a 27.4 yard-per-kick return rate.

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