Oregon State Professional Athletes

Two Oregon State alumni are making headlines for very different reasons this week — one is fighting for his NFL life, the other is quietly rebuilding one.

Nahshon Wright's Jets tenure is on thin ice

Nahshon Wright's time in New York may be measured in days, not weeks. The former Bears cornerback — who broke out during the 2025 season in Chicago — was a healthy scratch for the Jets in Week 4, a stunning demotion for a player who arrived in New York with momentum and expectations.

According to Heavy Sports, Wright hasn't played meaningful snaps despite being fully healthy, a sign that his fit within the Jets' scheme is being questioned at the coaching level. The disconnect is stark: Wright was productive enough in Chicago to earn a roster spot in New York, but the Jets have yet to find a use for him in their defensive backfield rotation.

The situation has now escalated beyond a depth chart reshuffling. Sports Illustrated identified three potential trade destinations for Wright following his Week 4 scratch, indicating that the league is watching and teams have interest. The Jets' Friday injury report ahead of Week 5 included updates on Wright's outlook, suggesting his status remains a live conversation within the organization.

For Beaver fans, it's a frustrating storyline. Wright has the talent — his breakout in Chicago proved that — but opportunity in New York has been elusive, and a change of scenery may be the reset he needs.

Brandin Cooks lands with San Francisco

On the more optimistic end of the ledger, Brandin Cooks has found a home. The veteran wide receiver signed to the San Francisco 49ers' 53-man roster, according to multiple reports, giving him a legitimate shot at contributing to one of the NFL's most pass-friendly offenses.

Cooks, a long-tenured pro who began his career as a standout at Oregon State before first-round stardom, has bounced through several franchises in recent years — most recently with the Cowboys before being released. His signing with San Francisco is not a depth move; landing on the 53-man roster means the 49ers view him as a live contributor, not a camp body.

San Francisco defeated Denver 24-14 on October 4, the same week Cooks was added to the roster. Whether he played a role in that win isn't detailed in available reporting, but his presence on the active roster signals the organization's confidence in what he still brings.

Cooks remains one of the most durable and experienced receivers in the game. A reunion with a legitimate Super Bowl contender could be exactly the late-career chapter the former Beaver standout deserves.

Around the rest of the Beaver alumni

Elsewhere across the league, Oregon State continues to be one of the better-represented programs in professional football. Johnny Hekker punted for the Vikings in their 15-10 win over Miami on October 4, and Skyler Thomas suited up for the Bears in their 23-12 victory over the Jets — the same Jets team currently struggling to deploy his fellow Beaver, Nahshon Wright, effectively.

The irony of Thomas' Bears topping the Jets while Wright watches from the sideline isn't lost on anyone paying attention in Corvallis.

Oregon State's NFL alumni had a busy week — roster moves, a veteran stepping into a spotlight, and a free-agent signing turning sour fast.

Brandin Cooks Gets His Shot in San Francisco

The biggest news out of the Beaver alumni network: Brandin Cooks earned a promotion from the 49ers' practice squad to the active 53-man roster on Thursday, October 1. The timing is no accident. San Francisco is dealing with a wave of receiver injuries — veteran Mike Evans' status was uncertain after leaving Week 3 — and the 49ers needed bodies they could trust ahead of their home matchup with the Denver Broncos.

Cooks, who accumulated over 9,800 receiving yards across stints with the Rams, Texans, and Cowboys, gives San Francisco a proven route-runner with big-game experience. He's not the same explosive deep threat he was in his prime, but the 49ers didn't promote him for highlights — they promoted him because he knows how to play. Whether this is a long-term move or an injury stopgap, Cooks is on an NFL active roster heading into Week 5, and that's not nothing.

Hekker Answers the Call Again in Minnesota

For the second week running, the Vikings turned to Johnny Hekker when they needed a punter. Minnesota elevated the longtime veteran from the practice squad ahead of their Week 5 matchup with the Miami Dolphins, with rookie Brett Thorson — who won the job in training camp — still sidelined by injury.

Hekker had already been through this routine the previous Sunday, handling punting duties in Minnesota's 23–16 win over Tampa Bay. He's no longer a starting-caliber punter on a long-term basis, but the Vikings clearly value the experience and reliability he brings in a pinch. As long as Thorson remains unavailable, Hekker will keep getting the call.

Nahshon Wright's Jets Tenure Is Unraveling

The most troubling story of the week belongs to Nahshon Wright, who is looking like one of the NFL's most puzzling offseason acquisitions just three games into his Jets tenure.

Wright had a genuine breakout in 2025 with the Chicago Bears — a "season for the ages," per Sports Illustrated — but he has been unable to build on that momentum in New York. After signing with the Jets in free agency, Wright has struggled to carve out a consistent role, and by Week 5, his standing with the team is already being questioned publicly. SI's reporting suggests his time with the Jets could end sooner than anyone anticipated when the deal was signed.

It's a sharp reversal for a player who looked like he'd turned a corner in Chicago. Whether the struggles are schematic, physical, or something else entirely isn't yet clear — but the situation is worth watching closely as the Jets figure out what they have, and what they don't, in their secondary.

---

Elsewhere in the Beaver diaspora, Blake Brandel held his spot on Minnesota's offensive line in their Week 4 win over Tampa Bay, and Anthony Gould's Colts edged the Texans 19–17 in a tight AFC South clash. The Beaver footprint across the league remains wide — it's the quality of those appearances that varies week to week.

Brandin Cooks Returns to the NFL with a Super Bowl Contender

Brandin Cooks is back where he belongs — and where he's always wanted to be.

The veteran Oregon State wideout signed with the San Francisco 49ers this week, joining a 2-0 team that's already playing like one of the league's best. The move came with San Francisco's receiver room battered by injury: Ricky Pearsall and De'Zhaun Stribling were already sidelined, while Mike Evans was nursing a hip injury and Demarcus Robinson suffered an ankle injury that accelerated the team's need for depth. Cooks filled that void — at least initially on the practice squad — sliding into a wide receiver corps that desperately needed an experienced hand.

The signing carries more than just football weight. Cooks made a heartfelt admission after inking the deal, sharing that a connection to the 49ers stretches back to his childhood, making this particular landing spot more meaningful than most stops on a well-traveled career. He also sent a direct message to quarterback Brock Purdy, signaling he's ready to contribute immediately.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan weighed in publicly on the signing, offering his first comments on what Cooks brings to the roster. Shanahan's 49ers are 2-0 and entering Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals — a team that now counts another Beaver alum, Isaac Seumalo, on their offensive line.

Cooks, a first-round pick who's suited up for the Saints, Rams, Texans, Cowboys, and most recently the Bills and Saints again, combined for 279 yards across 15 regular-season games last season. At this stage of his career, he's a proven route runner and locker room presence more than a featured weapon — but on a loaded San Francisco offense, that profile fits perfectly.

Elsewhere in Beaver Nation

The Cooks signing dominated the Oregon State NFL news cycle, but a pair of other alumni made quiet roster moves worth tracking.

Anthony Gould was elevated to the Indianapolis Colts' active roster after the team placed wide receiver Alec Pierce on injured reserve. Gould, who's been in and out of the active roster, gets a fresh shot to carve out a role in a Colts passing game that fell to 0-2 with a 30-33 loss to Kansas City on Sunday.

In Minnesota, veteran punter Johnny Hekker was added to the Vikings' practice squad after starter Brett Thorson went down with a hamstring injury on his kicking leg. It's a depth move, but Hekker — a former All-Pro — is no stranger to high-leverage situations. The Vikings, who beat Chicago 9-3 in Week 2 with Blake Brandel starting at center, will look to keep their special teams stable while Thorson heals.

For Oregon State alumni across the league, it's a week defined by opportunity. Cooks gets his shot at a ring. Gould gets his shot at a starting role. Hekker gets one more call-up. Beaver Nation is spread wide — and paying attention.

Oregon State alumni had a newsworthy week across the NFL, with stories emerging on both sides of the ball — and both sides of the roster bubble.

Skyler Thomas in the News Ahead of Bears-Vikings

Chicago Bears safety Skyler Thomas drew attention this week for personal news announced by the team ahead of their matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. The Bears made the announcement publicly before the Week 2 contest, though the nature of the news placed Thomas in a spotlight beyond the field.

Thomas was on the active roster for Chicago's Week 1 blowout win over Carolina (59–37), giving Bears fans plenty of reason to track his status. With the Vikings game looming — a divisional matchup carrying real NFC North weight — any roster or personal development around the safety position was going to draw scrutiny. Thomas's situation adds a human dimension to what is otherwise one of the more anticipated early-season games on Chicago's schedule.

Notably, Thomas isn't the only Oregon State Beaver with ties to that Bears-Vikings game. Vikings punter Johnny Hekker and running back Jermar Jefferson, along with linebacker Silas Bolden and guard Blake Brandel, all suit up on the Minnesota side — meaning Corvallis alumni were represented in force on both sidelines when those two teams squared off.

Jaden Robinson Lands with Giants After Denver Release

The bigger transaction news for Beaver Nation came out of East Rutherford. Linebacker Jaden Robinson, described by league observers as "explosive," signed with the New York Giants after being released by the Denver Broncos as Week 2 rosters took shape.

Robinson's move to New York lands him in a linebacker room that could use the infusion. The Giants have been active in reshaping their roster, and Robinson's athleticism was enough to generate genuine interest and a quick signing. For a player who had been building his NFL case in Denver, the Giants represent a meaningful opportunity to stick on an NFC East squad with legitimate playoff ambitions.

Robinson joins fellow Beaver Isaiah Hodgins on the Giants' roster — Hodgins holding down a wide receiver spot — giving New York a small but notable Oregon State contingent.

Around the Rest of Beaver Nation

The research brief also flagged movement around Brandin Cooks, the veteran wide receiver and former Saints standout. Cooks drew interest from multiple teams — including the Ravens and the Bills — as a free agent following an injury to a team's top receiver. Cooks's long NFL career has taken him through New Orleans, Los Angeles, Houston, and beyond, and his availability continued to generate league-wide chatter this week.

Elsewhere, Nahshon Wright suited up for the Jets in their 23–10 win over Tennessee on Sunday, adding another Beaver to the win column in Week 1.