The Dallas Cowboys have been crushing it this offseason and on Sunday, they made another move fans should be thrilled about.
The Cowboys have acquired veteran WR Brandin Cooks from the Houston Texans. In exchange, Dallas is sending a 2023 5th round draft pick and a 2024 6th rounder.
The move wasn’t costly, plus the Texans are paying $6 million of Cooks’ salary in 2023. The 29-year-old will earn $12 million in base pay, and account for $12.3 million against the salary cap.
According to Sports Illustrated, Cooks was nearly traded to Big D during the 2022 season. But his $18 million guaranteed in 2023 was too expensive for Jerry Jones. But now that the Texans are covering a portion of his salary, it’s more palatable for Jones.
What To Know About Brandin Cooks
Cooks was a 1st round selection (20th overall) by the New Orleans Saints in 2014. The 2023 season will be his 10th as a pro.
The Stockton, California-native has been traded a lot. Dallas will be the fifth team he’s been on, and he’s never spent more than three seasons with a single team.
Cooks’ previous three seasons were with the Texans. In 2022, he played in only 13 games and had 57 catches, 699 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Not exactly eye-popping stats, but it wasn’t all Cooks’ fault. The Texans ranked 31st in scoring and yards per game.
Cooks has played 15+ games in six seasons. In each of those campaigns, Cooks has posted 1,000+ receiving yards.
As long as he’s healthy, he’s almost guaranteed to produce.
What Brandin Cooks Brings To The Cowboys
The former Oregon State Beaver is only 5’10, 183-pounds, so his specialty is speed. He’s a downfield threat that stretches out the defense and opens up passing lanes for his teammates.
The Cowboys desperately needed a player like Cooks last season and as we mentioned, a trade nearly went down that would’ve sent him to Dallas. Instead, the ‘Boys signed free agent WR T.Y. Hilton, who has a similar build and style of play as Cooks.
Hilton made for a great deep threat, and that’s exactly what Cooks brings to the table. Having Cooks in the offensive huddle will make life easier for CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup.
Cooks To The Cowboys Marks The End Of The OBJ Saga
Last week, it was reported that the Cowboys and Odell Beckham Jr. had “positive discussions” concerning a contract agreement. But according to ESPN, Dallas’ acquisition of Cooks likely means their pursuit of Beckham is over.
This is something Cowboys fans should celebrate. While signing OBJ would be a far more flashy move, adding Cooks is the safer path.
The last time Beckham took the field was in the 2022 Super Bowl when he suffered a torn ACL. Odell was linked to a few teams last season, but no signing was made and he missed the entire year.
Signing a 30-year-old coming off a torn ACL that hasn’t played competitive football in about 13 months comes with major risk. Plus, Beckham was reportedly seeking a multi-year deal this offseason.
