The Panthers on Friday signed wide receiver Pharoh Cooper to a one-year contract.
A fourth-round draft pick of the Rams in 2016, Cooper earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2017 as a returner with 932 yards and a touchdown on 34 kickoff returns to go with 399 yards on 32 punt returns. His 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Jacksonville that season earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Last season, Cooper played in 13 games – one with the Bengals and 12 with the Cardinals. He recorded a career-high 25 receptions for 243 yards and a touchdown. He also returned 25 kickoffs for 561 yards and 17 punts for 129 yards.
In his four-year NFL career, Cooper has played for the Rams (2016-18), Cardinals (2018, 2019) and Bengals (2019), seeing action in 46 games with five starts and one playoff appearance.
Cooper attended Havelock (N.C.) High School and played collegiately at South Carolina where he was a two-time All-SEC selection and ranked second in the conference in receiving yards (1,136) in 2014.
Pharoh Cooper previously played for Rams (2016-18), Bengals (2018) and Cardinals (2018-19).
South Carolina receiver Pharoh Cooper runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
South Carolina receiver Pharoh Cooper runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Wide receiver Pharaoh Cooper #10 during the Los Angeles Rams OTA on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 in Oxnard, Calif. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Los Angeles Rams receiver Pharoh Cooper looks on from the sidelines during a NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday, Aug. 27th, 2016 in Denver. The Broncos won the game, 17-9. (G. Newman Lowrance via AP)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (10) leaves the field during an NFL preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, August 13, 2016, in Los Angeles, Ca. The Rams won the game, 28-24. (Greg Trott via AP)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Pharoh Cooper runs with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2016, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Los Angeles Rams kick returner Pharoh Cooper (10) tries to get past Tennessee Titans defenders including Taywan Taylor (13) in the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Pharoh Cooper warms up wearing gear in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness before an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Pharoh Cooper (izquierda) de los Rams de Los Angeles corre para anotar un touchdown, dejando atrás a Peyton Thompson de los Jaguars de Jacksonville, el domingo 15 de octubre de 2017. (AP Foto/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (10) runs the football during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017, in Los Angeles. The Rams defeated the Saints, 26-20. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (10) runs against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Pharoh Cooper warms up before an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Arizona Cardinals wide receivers Pharoh Cooper (12) shares a laugh with Chad Williams (10) after stretching out with teammates prior to running drills at the team's NFL football training facility, Wednesday, June 12, 2019, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (12) warms up prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (12) runs during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019 in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals defeated the Chargers 17-13 (Greg Trott via AP)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (12) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (12) runs the football from Oakland Raiders cornerback Nevin Lawson (26) during an NFL preseason football game on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. The Raiders defeated the Cardinals, 33-26. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (12) runs onto the field during player introductions prior to an NFL regular season football game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019 in Glendale, Ariz. The Rams won, 34-7. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (12) catches a late fourth quarter pass for a gain of 24 yards and a first down at the Cardinals 46 yard line as Los Angeles Rams free safety Eric Weddle (32) closes in for a tackle during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019 in Los Angeles. The Rams defeated the Cardinals 31-24. (Paul Spinelli via AP)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (12) makes a catch during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 06, 2019, in Cincinnati. The Cardinals won 26-23. (Aaron Doster via AP)
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Pharoh Cooper (12) runs a route during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, in Seattle. The Cardinals defeated the Seahawks, 27-13. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Arizona Cardinals punt returner Pharaoh Cooper (12) dives to score a touchdown during an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019 in Seattle. (Gene Lower via AP)
