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Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer 3y

Amari Cooper comes off Dallas Cowboys' PUP list as return from ankle surgery progresses

NFL, Dallas Cowboys

OXNARD, Calif. -- Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Amari Cooper cleared another hurdle in his return from offseason right ankle surgery by being activated off the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday.

The Cowboys have one more full practice in Oxnard, California, on Wednesday before returning to The Star in Frisco, Texas. Cooper is expected to ramp up his on-field work when the team returns home after Friday's preseason game at the Arizona Cardinals.

Last week, Cooper acknowledged the recovery took longer than he expected. Since the start of training camp, he had been working off to the side with director of rehabilitation and associate athletic trainer Britt Brown.

"I'm close to 100 percent," he said recently. "I wouldn't say I'm quite 100 percent yet, to be completely candid. But I'm real close. I can do everything, maybe a little better, just because I've been rehabbing so hard. Just trying to be the best Amari Cooper that I can be, trying to be better than I've ever been. I've been talking to myself a lot lately about how I want this year to be different than any other year that I've played football."

Cooper had a career-high 92 receptions from four different starting quarterbacks for 1,114 yards and five touchdowns in 2020.

Last week, the Cowboys activated defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence off the PUP list. While neither Lawrence nor Cooper will take to the practice field this week, they are cleared to participate in the walk-through sessions, or what Mike McCarthy calls "mock games."

With Cooper activated, only defensive tackle Trysten Hill (knee), kicker Greg Zuerlein (back) and defensive end Chauncey Golston remain on the PUP list. Rookie receiver T.J. Vasher (knee) is on the non-football injury list.

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