How the Cowboys landed Brandin Cooks
Jeremy Fowler discusses how the Brandin Cooks trade between Dallas and the Houston Texans came to fruition after months of interest between the two sides.
FRISCO, Texas – To add speed and a complement to Pro Bowler CeeDee Lamb, the Dallas Cowboys are acquiring Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks for a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-round pick in 2024, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter.
The Cowboys and Texans had discussions about a deal before last year’s trade deadline, but couldn’t come to an agreement.
Cooks’ $18 million salary in 2023 is guaranteed. Cooks restructured his contract Saturday so Houston will pay $6 million of his salary this season and Dallas will pay the remaining $12 million, sources told ESPN. He is under contract until 2024.
“Beyond blessed and can’t wait to go, be special to the star! Very grateful to the Jones family for this opportunity for my family and I,” Cooks said in a text message to ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime.
Last year, the Cowboys traded Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick, but only added veteran James Washington in free agency and third-round pick Jalen Tolbert as replacements. Washington suffered a broken foot in training camp and went just two games without a catch before being released. Tolbert caught just two passes as a rookie.
With Michael Gallup coming back from a torn ACL in his left knee, Executive Vice President Stephen Jones said it was “probably fair” to criticize the Cowboys for not doing enough to replace Cooper.
In Cooks, the Cowboys get a speed threat to pair with Lamb and Gallup, who the organization believes will be much better in his second year after major surgery.
Cooks, 29, has been vocal about his unhappiness in Houston, saying he didn’t want to be part of a rebuild. He caught 57 passes for 699 yards and three scores in 13 games for Texas last season.
In his career with the Texans, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints, he has 630 receptions for 8,616 yards and 49 touchdowns.
It is the fourth time he has been traded in his career.
The Cooks deal is the second major trade the Cowboys have made in the past week. Dallas also acquired cornerback Stephon Gilmore from the Indianapolis Colts for a fifth-round pick (No. 176 overall).
The Cowboys have built their roster through the draft and are avoiding big free agents. They now have one pick in each round. They had three fifth-round picks after compensatory picks were announced, but have since traded two of them.