Chris Cooley re-signed by Redskins following Fred Davis' injury

• Cooley is Redskins' all-time leading receiver among tight ends
• He was released in August to explore other opportunities
• Paul, Paulsen now in mix at tight end position after Davis' loss

The Washington Redskins have re-signed fan favorite Chris Cooley.

Cooley's return became official after he passed a physical Monday, a day after starting tight end Fred Davis was lost to a season-ending torn Achilles' tendon.

Davis was placed on injured reserve.

"I knew the extent of (Davis') injury within an hour and figured it was inevitable that they would call," Cooley said. "And that (possibility) had been mentioned to me. It wasn't out of this world for me to get a call.

"It's fortunate for both of us, I think. Fortunate that I get a chance to play where I want to play. And fortunate for them that I sat here and waited. It worked out."

After eight years with the club, Cooley was released Aug. 28, ostensibly to pursue playing opportunities elsewhere. However he'd expressed reluctance to don another uniform.

A two-time Pro Bowler, Cooley was taken in the third round of the 2004 draft. His honesty, quirkiness, and transparency — especially in social media circles — made him a huge fan favorite. However a serious knee injury limited Cooley to five games in 2011 when he caught just eight balls for 65 yards. He'd missed 20 games since 2009 after appearing in every contest over his first five years. He'd also fallen behind Davis, who blossomed amid Cooley's absence in 2011.

"I was definitely OK with not playing football this year," Cooley said. "I thought a lot about playing other places and didn't like the idea of moving and making that change. ... I feel very fortunate that I didn't go play somewhere else because this was the opportunity that I wanted, and I'd be kicking myself if I was in another city right now and this came up."

Given his layoff, Cooley almost surely won't immediately resume a starting a role — "I wasn't at home doing squats and power cleans and listening to Rocky music," he said — and his lack of blocking prowess will likely render him a situational player behind converted wideout Niles Paul and Logan Paulsen.

Cooley has also worked out at fullback in Mike Shanahan's system.

"I feel like I can play," Cooley said. "I'm only 30 years old. ... I didn't want to play in a situation where I was in a diminished role from what I knew I could be. It was hard for me, and I would have done it for the team that I loved. But I think if I can get an opportunity to show everyone what I can do, because I haven't over the last two years, then I think I can prolong my career."

The Redskins are currently 3-4 and in last place in the NFC East. Yet they've been competitive and seem more than capable of making a wild-card push.

"I am very excited to be a part of this team," said Cooley. "It has been (hard) to watch them come together as an offense and not be there."

Cooley has 428 career catches (most ever for a Redskins tight end) for 4,703 yards and 33 TDs.

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Contributing: USA TODAY Sports' Erik Brady from Ashburn, Va.