WR Pharoh Cooper, S JuJu Hughes sign with Cardinals practice squad

Receiver Pharoh Cooper is back with the Arizona Cardinals, joining the team’s practice squad on Wednesday along with safety JuJu Hughes.

Cooper played for Arizona for two games at the end of the 2018 season and then the first year of Kliff Kingsbury’s tenure in 2019. Arizona cut him before the 2019 regular season, leading Cooper to join the Cincinnati Bengals, but he was cut there and re-joined the Cardinals.

Copper’s best season as a receiver came with Arizona in 2019, when he made 25 catches for 243 yards.

Since leaving the Cardinals, Cooper spent time with the Carolina Panthers (2020), Jacksonville Jaguars (2021) and New York Giants (2021).

The 5-foot-11 receiver also returned 17 punts and 25 kickoffs for Arizona over 12 games in 2019. He was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2017 as a return man for the Los Angeles Rams.

The addition comes as the Cardinals look to plug holes in the receiver room.

Rondale Moore went down early on Monday with a groin injury in the loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico, and slot replacement Greg Dortch required an MRI on a thumb issue, head coach Kliff Kingsbury told reporters on Tuesday.

With DeAndre Hopkins producing outside, the Cardinals also await the return of fellow starter Hollywood Brown, who has been designated to return from a foot fracture but was not activated before the game Monday.

Hughes played for the Detroit Lions this season and recorded 18 tackles in seven games with one start. He previously played for the Rams in 2020 through 2021.

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