Wide receiver Brandin Cooks became the 11th active player in the NFL to reach the 600 career receptions threshold with his four-catch performance for the Houston Texans in Week 7. Though he did not manage to score, his presence was part of what kept his team in the running for their second win of the season against the Las Vegas Raiders until the Texans’ defense faltered in the fourth quarter.
Cooks is still an elite deep threat at the receiver position and can make defenses pay with his crafty work after the catch. Few wideouts in the league can match his exceptional wiggle in the routes he runs, and if he had the benefit of a more established quarterback to throw him the ball, Cooks might be a Pro Bowl candidate in his ninth year as a professional.
A former first-round pick, Cooks has been a steady presence for several teams in his career, and one of the Texans’ most outstanding talents since he joined the team in 2020. With so much off-field turmoil within the organization, Cooks has kept his head down and battled to bring Houston’s offense back to relevance, though plenty of work remains.
There has been plenty of speculation in recent weeks that he may be dealt for draft capital to speed up the Texans’ rebuild, though to this point there has been no tangible proof of such movement, only vague reports. Without him on the field, Houston would lack a starting-caliber veteran at the receiver position, and likely be forced to rely on up-and-coming receiver Nico Collins for the highest volume of targets in his absence.
Though his future may be uncertain at this juncture, Cooks is sure to be a key fixture in the Texans’ offense for the time being and should remain the team’s primary option on passing plays. His contributions have been a major part of what little success Houston has found on offense, and with another big game against Tennessee next week, Cooks could prove that he is too valuable an asset for the team to deal at the trade deadline and that he should be part of their plan moving forward.
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