Jaxson Dart Faces Season-Ending Injury; Bears QB Crisis and 49ers Sign Brandin Cooks
- New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart faces a potential season-ending knee injury, while Chicago Bears backup Tyson Bagent has entered the NFL concussion protocol, compounding early-season roster challenges...
- The outlook for Jaxson Dart took a sharp turn for the worse Tuesday.
- The signal-caller situation in Chicago became more complex on Tuesday when backup Tyson Bagent was placed in the league's concussion protocol, per NFL Network.
New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart faces a potential season-ending knee injury, while Chicago Bears backup Tyson Bagent has entered the NFL concussion protocol, compounding early-season roster challenges across the NFC. According to multiple reports, Dart’s injury is more severe than initially believed, and the San Francisco 49ers have signed veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks to their practice squad to address mounting offensive injuries.
Jaxson Dart Faces Extended Absence for Giants
The outlook for Jaxson Dart took a sharp turn for the worse Tuesday. Sources indicate that the signal-caller for New York sustained a knee issue during Monday night’s defeat against the Rams that turned out worse than first suspected, potentially sidelining him for the remainder of the year.
Dart went down on New York’s opening drive after absorbing a hit from a pair of defenders following an incomplete pass. He initially walked off under his own power and underwent evaluation inside the medical tent before officials ruled him out.
With Dart sidelined, Jameis Winston took over on the second drive and finished out the team’s 28-6 defeat. Winston is expected to start upcoming games as the Giants prepare to host the Titans and Cardinals over the next two weeks, followed by matchups against the Commanders, Saints, and Texans ahead of a Week 8 bye. Winston posted an 0-2 record as a starter for New York last season and went 2-5 with Cleveland in 2024.
Bears Quarterback Depth Tested as Tyson Bagent Enters Concussion Protocol
The signal-caller situation in Chicago became more complex on Tuesday when backup Tyson Bagent was placed in the league’s concussion protocol, per NFL Network. The development adds another layer of uncertainty for a Bears team already navigating the absence of starter Caleb Williams.
Williams remains considered week-to-week with a hamstring injury suffered on a non-contact scramble during a 9-3 loss to the Vikings. Bagent entered in relief of Williams and nearly engineered a game-winning drive, completing 5 of 9 passes for 54 yards before taking a sack on the final play of the game. That final play is believed to have caused the head injury, though the exact timing remains unconfirmed.
If both Williams and Bagent remain unavailable, third-string quarterback Case Keenum stands positioned to start for Chicago against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.
San Francisco 49ers Sign Brandin Cooks to Practice Squad
Veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks is signing with the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad, according to NFL Network, providing experienced depth to an injury-riddled receiving corps. Cooks, 32, joins a group currently missing Demarcus Robinson due to a Week 2 ankle sprain and Mike Evans, who picked up a hip injury in a win over Miami.
Those injuries compound existing long-term absences for the 49ers, who lost Ricky Pearsall for the season and De’Zhaun Stribling for roughly two months following ankle surgery. Cooks, a 2014 first-round pick, has played across 12 NFL seasons for six different teams, including New Orleans, New England, the Rams, Houston, Dallas, and Buffalo, where he finished last season after the Saints waived him in November. San Francisco welcomes him with a resume featuring 734 receptions, 9,811 receiving yards, 60 scores, and six campaigns reaching the 1,000-yard threshold.