Off the field, the mutual admiration is obvious. Once Brandin Cooks and Dak Prescott get on the field for real, though, their connection could be something extraordinary.
And if past history is an indicator, Prescott in particular could be in for a monster 2023.
The veteran wide receiver has been in quite a few offensive huddles with some of the best quarterbacks of the last generation. He appeared in 42 games with the Saints, helping Drew Brees to the NFL passing title in all three of their seasons together and two Pro Bowl nods for the quarterback. He was in New England in 2017 for an MVP year by Tom Brady to go with a passing title, Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors, and a Super Bowl appearance. Next it was the Rams, where he helped Jared Goff to a Pro Bowl year and Super Bowl berth over two seasons. Then three more seasons in Houston, the first of which resulted in a Pro Bowl campaign from Deshaun Watson.
But just two weeks after his first throwing session with his new Cowboys quarterback, Cooks says that Dak Prescott already stands out from the who’s who of NFL passers he’s played with in the past.
“I’ve been around some great ones,” the six-time 1,000-yard-receiver said of Prescott this week. “We’ve been throwing, and let me tell you, that guy can sling that ball. I’m just excited to be able to get going, no doubt. That’s all I can say. He’s special. That ball comes out of his hands, he’s special with it [and] his natural-born leadership. There’s a couple guys I’ve been around that can lead a team, and the way that he’s doing it, to be this young, is unbelievable, for sure.”
Cooks remarked on Prescott’s youth, but the wide receiver is actually two months younger; they’ll both turn 30 this year. While that may be prime time for an NFL signal-caller, the well-traveled Cooks has faced questions about whether his stints with four different teams might have caused him to lose a step.
Cooks seemed offended when asked if he’s still as fast as the 4.33 speed he flouted as a rookie, nine years ago.
“Oh, no question. No question. No question,” he emphasized. “I take care of my body. That’s what I invest in, my body.”
[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
As for the Cowboys’ return on their investment in him, Cooks says he’ll give the offense a new wrinkle that perhaps they lacked in 2022.
“Being dynamic,” he said about what he can add. “Being able to make plays no matter which way: deep, short, immediate. It really doesn’t matter, just coming in [and] being dynamic.”
That’s music to Prescott’s ears. The quarterback also believes Cooks will bring something that’s been missing to a Dallas passing game that was merely mediocre last year.
“Definitely,” Prescott confirmed. “The moment that guy showed up, just watching him in the workouts, the way he just carries himself from drill to drill, what he does pre-workout [and] post-workout to take care of his body to make sure he has that speed and keeps the productivity that he’s had over his career is impressive. But then when you’re just throwing to him, it stands out. His speed is different than many others. The way he approaches the game, his knowledge: he’s already helping CeeDee [Lamb], helping these young guys, playing cornerback, teaching them little nuances of the route running. He’s going to be huge for me, and he’s going to be huge for the room.”
It’s no coincidence that Cooks was there for some of the best years in the careers of every passer he’s been with before. Sounds like Prescott just got a glimpse of what the very near future may hold for him and the Cowboys.
Special, indeed.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]
[mm-video type=video id=01gzhx0gwamdt0hm6k7d playlist_id=01eqbwens7sctqdrqg player_id=01eqbvhghtkmz2182d image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gzhx0gwamdt0hm6k7d/01gzhx0gwamdt0hm6k7d-413045ed904647e88f9a586a66399945.jpg]
[lawrence-newsletter]