Tag: Brandin Cooks trade

Texans GM Nick Caserio says trading WR Brandin Cooks was ‘best decision for everybody involved’

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio believes the trading of Brandin Cooks provided a win-win scenario for all parties.

The Houston Texans offloaded receiver Brandin Cooks in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys Sunday morning.

The transaction netted Houston a 2023 fifth-rounder and a 2024 sixth-rounder and gave Dallas ostensibly a weapon to help quarterback Dak Prescott. Cooks also gets to make good on his statement that he no longer wanted to be a part of a rebuild.

Texans general manager Nick Caserio joined “Payne & Pendergast” on Sports Radio 610 [KILT-AM] Monday to talk about the trade, and prefaced his remarks with having the utmost respect for Cooks as a player and a person.

“Brandin has been a good player for a number of years in this league,” Caserio. “He has been a very productive player.”

Although Caserio would not elaborate on where pundits and the media were incorrect in their reporting and speculation about Cooks’ failed attempt to be traded during last regular season’s deadline, Caserio nevertheless opined.

“I would say going back to the season stuff, quite frankly there’s a lot of ‘experts’ that spoke on this topic that quite frankly had no idea what they’re talking about,” said Caserio. “So, I think things that are actually reported aren’t even close to being true. But nonetheless, in this particular case, in the end, we felt this was the best decision for everybody involved.”

When the Cowboys called during free agency with their offer, Caserio had to take in all of the information.

Said Caserio: “The trade, the markets, trades are always dictated by what a team is willing to pay, and then a team on the other end, in this case the Houston Texans, we have to make the decision whether or not we feel comfortable and it makes sense, or we want to wait around and see if you can ‘get a better deal.’ So, in the end, our responsibility is take all of the information there is, process that information, make the decision that we feel is in our best interest. So, that’s why we did what we did.”

Caserio added that he wished Cooks sustained success in Dallas and that he would, “be a good player for a number of years here moving forward.”

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Texans trade Brandin Cooks: Grading the transaction with the Cowboys

The Houston Texans traded Brandin Cooks to get draft capital and a disgruntled player off the roster. Here is how the Dallas Cowboys grades.

Brandin Cooks’ discontent with the Houston Texans last season was well-documented, and it seems that it was only a matter of time before the veteran receiver found a new home.

Cooks can get a fresh start with the Dallas Cowboys as Houston agreed on a deal that sent the 29-year-old to Big D and pocketed the Texans a 2023 fifth-rounder and a 2024 sixth-rounder.

The draft package may seem like relatively modest compensation for a player of Cooks’ caliber, though his exceptionally high cap number for next season likely played a role in the Cowboys’ unwillingness to give up more premium selections. Moreover, it has been reported that Houston agreed to pay $6 million towards Cooks’ salary guarantee in 2023 to complete the deal, essentially paying Dallas in cash to take him off their hands.

Houston should be able to find good value with the fifth-round pick they received in April’s draft, though they shouldn’t expect to be able to replace Cooks’ production one-for-one with any of the receivers who are expected to be available at that juncture. Ultimately, the Texans’ decision to trade Cooks wasn’t an act of short-term roster improvement, but rather an exercise in housekeeping as they look to rebuild in 2023.

Cooks was the only star-caliber receiver that Houston had on their roster before this trade, and the team will need to find additional help in short order to ensure that their quarterback, whomever that might be, has a viable option to throw to next season. Second-year wideout John Metchie could eat up a significant portion of what would have been Cooks’ targets. Unfortunately, Metchie will be functionally a rookie as he spent 2022 winning more consequential battles.

Houston’s trade is nothing spectacular, but given that the Texans needed to change their locker room culture and field only players who want to be part of their herculean rebuild, it was probably a necessary move.

Grade: C+

Houston Texans trade WR Brandin Cooks to Dallas Cowboys and Twitter reacts

The Houston Texans traded receiver Brandin Cooks to the Dallas Cowboys and Twitter was full of takes on the transaction.

The Houston Texans managed to offload a player who didn’t want to be a part of the DeMeco Ryans era to a team looking for veteran contributors to complement a younger offensive core.

The Texans traded receiver Brandin Cooks to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round selection and a 2024 sixth-round pick.

General manager Nick Caserio is able to add more draft capital to complete the rebuild. Cooks, who didn’t want to be a part of another rebuild, gets to try his hand at winning a Super Bowl, a feat he wasn’t able to pull off in 2017 with the New England Patriots and 2018 with the Los Angeles Rams.

Here is a sampling of some of the best reactions from Twitter regarding the transaction.

How the Cowboys-Texans trade for WR Brandin Cooks impacts the draft

The Houston Texans traded WR Brandin Cook to the Dallas Cowboys, a deal that shakes up the draft needs for both teams

Sunday morning kicked off with the Houston Texans dominating the NFL news. The Texans agreed to a big contract extension with standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil and then dealt top wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Dallas Cowboys.

It’s a deal that sends a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-rounder in 2024 from Dallas to Houston for Cooks, who led the Texans in receiving in each of his three seasons with the team. The trade impacts the draft needs for both franchises.

Cowboys impact

Dallas lands the receiver they sorely needed to pair with CeeDee Lamb. He steps into the hole the Cowboys created by trading Amari Cooper to the Browns in 2022.

Cooks is 29 and coming off a down (for him) season, albeit one with inferior QB play and supporting talent in Houston to what he’ll have in Dallas. Houston used him more in a shorter passing game, but Cooks was a very adept deep threat during his Rams and Saints days. He can work all levels of the field.

Adding Cooks means the Cowboys no longer need a wide receiver as desperately as they did. Dallas can still use more help at wide receiver, but can wait until later in the draft to tap into a middle-heavy draft class at wideout.

Texans impact

Houston already added wideouts Robert Woods and Noah Brown (the Cowboys’ No. 2 WR in 2022) this offseason to roll out with promising young Nico Collins. John Metchie could provide a boost with a healthy return. In short, wide receiver is still a need but not a pressing one.

Adding a fifth-round pick gives Houston the replacement for the fifth-rounder they forfeited for illegally compensating Deshaun Watson during the pandemic. That range of the draft is where the Texans could look to add another wideout. It would be surprising if GM Nick Caserio addressed it before that point.

5 Blockbuster moves Patriots could make at wide receiver in 2023

Five blockbuster trades coupled with coaching moves could turn things around for the Patriots offense.

With the New England Patriots officially in offseason mode, they shocked everyone with a unprecedented public coaching update late Thursday night.

The team announced they were working on a long-term extension to keep inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo in New England, and they also mentioned they were beginning true offensive coordinator interviews next week.

With that being said, the Patriots have seemingly let everyone know that they are already getting started on offseason priority No. 1, coaching.

Although the offensive coaching scheme in 2022 was less than desirable, the Patriots have plenty of personnel needs they should address this offseason,  specifically, offensive tackle, outside corner and wide receiver. It is likely that corner and tackle are better addressed in the draft, but there are some notable receivers who could shake free.

These five blockbuster moves could help bolster the Patriots’ wide receiver room that currently features a collection of secondary and third options, while still desperately needing a true No. 1 option for Mac Jones.

Potential Brandin Cooks trade gives Cardinals explosive offense entering NFL draft

Houston’s Brandin Cooks is rumored to be on the move. The Cardinals would be wise to once again call up the Texans for wide receiver help.

The Arizona Cardinals have had a quiet offseason so far, opting to let many of their premier free agents walk. As discussed on the site earlier, the team appears to believe in running it back with their 2021 roster, prior to the injuries to DeAndre Hopkins, J.J. Watt and Robert Alford.

While the Cardinals have opted to bring back the likes of Zach Ertz and James Conner, the team has a huge void at the wide receiver and edge rusher positions. A potential and realistic fit might be, once again, calling up the Houston Texans for a wide receiver trade.

This time, the Cardinals could be calling about Brandin Cooks. There have been rumblings about a Cooks trade ever since the team’s roster overhaul following the 2020 season. While the wideout, who has been traded three times already in his young career, has expressed his desire to not be moved once more, rumors of his departure from H-Town persist.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, among others, has reported the Texans have received multiple calls on the star wideout. As of today, it remains unclear who those teams may be.

Cooks is one of the most underappreciated players in the league. Since being drafted in 2014, he has six 1,000-yard seasons, numbers that compare to some of the NFL’s top wideouts. DeAndre Hopkins, drafted in 2013, also has six 1,000 yard campaigns.

Drafted by the Saints, Cooks has moved around to the Patriots, Rams and now the Texans. He has posted a 1,000-yard season with each of those teams. This includes last season, playing with a quarterback carousel and generally bad situation with Houston.

At only 28 years old, Cooks would immediately become the Cardinals’ best No. 2 option, with his ceiling skyrocketing playing across from DeAndre Hopkins. He could also solidify himself in a long-term role with the team, one they’ve long sought during Steve Keim’s tenure.

Entering the final year of his contract, Cooks is due $12.5 million this season, which is a bargain for his production. Especially given the massive contracts handed out to wideouts this season, that number is more than realistic for the Cardinals.

This Cardinals front office has always been in the business of extending players they acquire via trade, so that cap number could feasibly be lowered for 2022 with a potential extension. A three-year extension, for example, would pair the Cardinals with an elite receiver duo with Hopkins through 2025. That is an incredibly ideal scenario for the continued development of the team’s star quarterback, Kyler Murray.

As for draft compensation, the Texans likely wouldn’t be able to fetch a ton for Cooks, despite his elite ability. The team is obviously rebuilding and he is entering the final year of his contract. Perhaps the Cards’ 3rd round pick (pick 87) could entice the Texans enough to send him to the desert. After that, however, it gets complicated with the Cards’ next selection being in the sixth round.

Steve Keim has always stated his desire to fill all positions of need prior to the draft, thereby being able to select the best player available in the first round of the NFL Draft. With a glaring need at wide receiver, would Brandin Cooks to Arizona make sense?

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Texans WR Brandin Cooks says getting to 1,000 receiving yards shows consistency

Houston Texans receiver Brandin Cooks wants to get 1,000 yards on the season because it demonstrates consistency.

Houston Texans wideout Brandin Cooks is 16 yards away from his fifth 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his seven years in the NFL. It is not unlikely that he will hit that mark during the Texans’ showdown with the Tennessee Titans Sunday at 3:25 p.m. at NRG Stadium.

The mark indicates something for Cooks’ career, and the former 2014 New Orleans Saints first-round pick believes multiple 1,000-yard seasons demonstrates consistency.

“At the end of the day I think it’s just important from an aspect to show consistency, but never putting that above the team,” Cooks said. “I’m just blessed to be in an opportunity to have that chance. Just got to work. That’s why I’m going to continue to work for it, is to just finish the season strong overall.”

What helped Cooks was getting on the same page with quarterback Deshaun Watson. Though they worked out in the offseason together to makeup for the lack of an offseason program, their chemistry didn’t forge until the middle of the regular season.

“I mean, I think about throughout practice, but I also think about some game situations,” said Cooks. “I think just with time little things just started to gel more and more and just the room that we have to continue to grow together. It’s pretty exciting to me.”

Cooks has no more guaranteed money on his contract, which makes him more movable in the offseason. The wideout says he is not open to anymore trades after having been dealt three times since 2016. With chemistry already forged with Watson, it may be a wise move to keep Cooks around.

Rams trade WR Brandin Cooks to Texans, swapping draft picks

The Los Angeles Rams are sending Brandin Cooks to the Houston Texans, swapping draft picks in the deal

Brandin Cooks is being traded yet again, this time to the Houston Texans to replace DeAndre Hopkins.

The Los Angeles Rams are sending Cooks to Houston, along with a future fourth-round pick, in return for a second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, per multiple reports:

Cooks has been traded twice before in recent memory, but both times for a first-round pick. The 20th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Cooks was was traded by the New Orleans Saints to the New England Patriots in 2017, then from the Pats to the Rams a year later.

An undersized but explosive playmaker, Cooks gives Deshaun Watson another dynamic deep threat to pair with Will Fuller, Kenny Stills and Randall Cobb, helping to ease Hopkins’ departure.

The Rams are still strong at wide receiver, but without a first-round pick. This gives them a pair of second-rounders in this year’s draft.

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Peter King lays out 4 trade scenarios for Brandin Cooks

Could the Rams really trade Brandin Cooks this offseason?

There were two primary names believed to be possible trade chips for the Los Angeles Rams this offseason: Todd Gurley and Brandin Cooks. Gurley was cut, but Cooks remains in Los Angeles.

His Twitter likes and Instagram stories seem to indicate he’d be OK with a trade, but it’d be difficult for the Rams to move him. Not because he doesn’t carry value, but because of the $17.8 million dead cap hit Los Angeles would take on in 2020.

Still, the Rams have reportedly received calls about Cooks and he still could be traded. Peter King of NBC Sports laid out his four best landing spots for Cooks, and in each scenario, the Rams receive no worse than the 80th pick in the upcoming draft.

1 Philadelphia, for the 53rd pick in the draft.
2 Green Bay, for the 62nd pick in the draft.
3 Las Vegas, for the 80th and 121st picks in the draft. (Raiders don’t have a second-rounder.)
4 Washington, for the 66th pick in the draft.

All of those teams would make sense as trade partners for the Rams, but the problem is trading for a player with a concussion history coming off arguably the worst season of his career. Would a team be willing to trade for a player like that, who’s also owed $20 million in the next two years? Probably, but the return may not be as much as the Rams are hoping.

Cooks is still a talented player who had four straight years with at least 1,000 yards receiving prior to 2019, and the Rams won’t get any salary cap relief next season by trading him, which makes it likely that he stays put. Unless Los Angeles gets blown away by an offer, the team should hold onto Cooks for one more year.

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