Rams taking recovery of WR Cooks ‘day at a time’

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Los Angeles Rams receiver Brandin Cooks will continue to meet with specialists regarding two concussions that he suffered last month, coach Sean McVay said Monday.

“I think for him, just being able to learn about the entirety of what’s going on and maybe have a better understanding of maybe why some of these things have occurred, I think gives him a quieted mind,” McVay said. “It gives us a good feeling about how we want to progress and move forward with this.”

The Rams were off last week because of a bye, but McVay said Cooks flew to Pittsburgh to seek further opinions on his recent head traumas, and as the team returned Monday to prepare for a Week 10 matchup against the Steelers, McVay said that Cooks would be day to day.

“It’s going to be something that we’re going to just really take it a day at a time,” McVay said.

Cooks was not present during the Rams’ open locker room period with reporters Monday.

In Week 5, a Thursday night game against the Seattle Seahawks, Cooks suffered his first concussion of the season and was cleared to play 10 days later against the San Francisco 49ers. He suffered a second concussion in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

In both instances, McVay said Cooks appeared without symptoms a day after suffering the concussions.

Cooks, 26, has now suffered five known concussions during his NFL career, dating to a 2015 concussion with the New Orleans Saints. He also was placed into concussion protocol after the 2018 Super Bowl as a member of the New England Patriots and in Week 5 of last season.

After last season, Cooks signed a five-year, $81 million extension, with $50.5 million in guarantees, that runs through the 2023 season.

This season, he has caught 27 passes for 402 yards and a touchdown.

McVay said that he and Cooks have spoken about the serious nature of brain injuries as they pertain to football and life after the NFL.

“We’ll be very smart with how we ease him back into this, whenever the time comes, if that’s the decision that we make,” McVay said.