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Amari Cooper made it clear that while he's fine with the mashed potatoes -- e.g., delivering another 1,000-yard season -- it's "the gravy" he's truly after in 2021. In other words, he wants to help the Dallas Cowboys rattle off a rare postseason run that doesn't end until they're standing on a podium in February, and he'll get a shot at prepping for his contribution to the pot luck this weekend, with or without the presence of quarterback Dak Prescott under center, something that's still being discussed in Dallas.

Now returned from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and back in full pads for the first time since Jan. 3, the four-time Pro Bowl receiver wants to play when the Houston Texans visit AT&T Stadium in what's viewed by the Cowboys as their preseason dress rehearsal. 

He'll likely get his way, considering the team wants the same.

"Yeah, I want to play for sure," Cooper told media on Tuesday. "I got word that I was playing."

The 27-year-old underwent minor ankle surgery early in the offseason and after being ramped up a bit in his return to practice last week, he went through his usual rigors on Monday and noted he feels no soreness whatsoever. This means Cooper is fully healthy as the regular season debut on Sept. 9 against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers approaches, and that's music to the ears of the Cowboys. There's still a bit of work that needs to be done on the field between now and September, however, to truly get Cooper to the point where there's no rust to be accounted for.

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"I feel like I am [100 percent]," said Cooper. "I don't know. I would really have to run the whole route tree. There's a lot that I haven't done that, when I was 100 percent, I did everything -- ran every route. 

"Some things on the football field are harder to do than others. I haven't really done the more challenging aspects of my position yet, so I don't know."

He's expected to have the full route tree made available to him as early as Wednesday. And if there continues to be no setbacks, there's a great chance he'll play football this weekend for the first time since Jan. 3., but the plan isn't for him to pay an entire quarter -- instead approximately 10 plays. But at this point, that's definitely something to nibble on for a competitor who's champing at the bit to do what he loves and is designed to do.

"Yeah, I am [looking forward to [this Saturday]," he noted. "I feel like I haven't played in such a long time as far as competing, just getting my legs back under me."

After all, the gravy isn't going to walk itself to the table.