Has the Washington Redskins’ most popular player spent his last game with the team? Tight end Chris Cooley was placed on injured reserve for the second time in three seasons, this time more for a balky knee than his recently broken finger. Instead of missing a handful of games, Cooley is gone, maybe for good.
No jersey of any player — past or present — appears at FedEx Field more than Cooley’s. It’s not even close. Cooley is reminiscent of former Redskins running back John Riggins. Both are beloved, lively characters who produced.
Cooley’s 428 receptions rank fifth in Redskins history, most by a tight end. His 4,703 career receiving yards and 33 touchdowns are ninth. The 2004 third-rounder made 101 starts and was easily the best non-first rounder drafted by the team over the past decade.
But Cooley will be 30 years old next season, a watershed moment for those who have lasted that long. The average NFL career is four years, and Cooley has lasted eight. With fellow tight end Fred Davis reaching his prime, the Redskins have a hard choice for 2012. Cooley will earn $3.8 million next year, too expensive to keep but a bargain compared to the $6.1 million salary cap hit if the Redskins cut him.
The Redskins babied Cooley’s knee, and it still didn’t last. There were no offseason camps, and Cooley didn’t play during the preseason. Yet the knee was soon ailing, and Cooley managed only eight catches in five games before injuring his hand.
Washington seemed to look more to Davis than Cooley when both played. Cooley even played a little at fullback. Davis has a team-high 28 catches, and with receiver Santana Moss out at least five weeks with a broken hand, the tight end probably will finish as the team leader in that category.
But Cooley has a greater penchant for big plays than Davis, the kind of thing that isn’t measurable but often found in late-game first downs. Cooley had a career-best 77 catches last season after missing nine games with a broken ankle in 2009. Maybe he just needs to get healthy to produce once more.
Cooley’s decline is much like those of tight end Stephen Alexander and offensive tackle Jon Jansen. Alexander was a solid 1998 second-rounder who suffered a season-ending injury midway through 2001. He didn’t seem like the same player afterward, though he lasted another five years with three teams.
Jansen seemed indestructible, playing 50 games at Michigan and then 82 games (including two in the playoffs) in five seasons after Washington picked him in the second round in 1999. Then he missed 2004 with a preseason injury and suffered another season-ender in the 2007 opener. After playing poorly in 2008, Jansen was released.
The Redskins face a hard choice in the offseason. They need to sign Davis before free agency. If he departs, it’s easier to keep Cooley. Davis’ return likely means the four-year job sharing ends.
It’s possible Cooley will return next year. But he’s clearly nearing the end. Riggo took a bow at midfield before he departed. Maybe Captain Chaos should, too.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
