Cowboys News: Amari Cooper Returns to Practice Ahead of Week 1 After Foot Injury

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper has returned to practice after missing significant time with plantar fasciitis in his left heel, causing him to miss the entire preseason. 

According to Patrick Walker of CBS Sports, Cooper "remains on track" to play in the team's season opener against the New York Giants on Sunday.

Cooper, 25, changed the Cowboys' season in 2018 after he was acquired in a trade, catching 53 passes for 725 yards and six scores in nine games. Over the course of a 16-game season, those numbers would have equated to 94 receptions for 1,288 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Before his addition, the Cowboys were 3-4. After he was brought aboard, the team went 7-2, won the NFC East and beat the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC Wild Card game before losing to the Los Angeles Rams the next week. 

The 2019 campaign is a big one for Cooper, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. While running back Ezekiel Elliott chose to hold out in an attempt to secure a long-term contract extension, Cooper has taken a different route. 

Of course, given the vibrant wide receiver market—Michael Thomas, for instance, signed a five-year, $96.2 million extension with the New Orleans Saints this offseason, which included $60.5 million guaranteed—Cooper will be rolling in the dough next offseason barring a major injury or serious down season. 

But given how quickly he became a vital part of Dallas' offense, it seems unlikely he'll regress in 2019. And if Elliott's holdout extends into the regular season, a distinct possibility, the Cowboys may lean even more heavily on Dak Prescott and Cooper. 

That makes his return to practice ahead of Week 1 an excellent bit of news for Dallas.