The Houston Texans have traded wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Dallas Cowboys, completing a deal for the Pro Bowl wide receiver that both teams discussed during the regular season.
Cooks was almost dealt to the Cowboys before the 2022 trade deadline, but Dallas and Houston couldn’t figure out a financial resolution to address his contract. Now, with the cap space created by releasing Ezekiel Elliott, the two sides have reached an agreement.
- Brandin Cooks stats (2022): 57 receptions, 699 receiving yards, 12.3 yards per catch
As first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Texans and Cowboys agreed to terms on a trade for Cooks on Sunday. Houston will receive the Cowboys’ fifth- and sixth-round picks.
- Houston Texans trade: Brandin Cooks
- Dallas Cowboys trade: 2023 5th, 2024 6th
Dallas has been ion the market for a wide receiver since the 2022 NFL season. The Cowboys hoped Michael Gallup would step into the role vacated by Amari Cooper, but Gallup wasn’t as productive in his first season back from an ACL tear.
- Brandin Cooks contract: $26.463 million cap hit (2023)
The Cowboys were believed to be in the mix for Odell Beckham Jr, with the two sides reportedly having conversations following the veteran wide receiver’s workout for NFL teams. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, Houston is covering $6 million of Cooks’ $18 million guaranteed salary for the upcoming season.
Being traded to Dallas is exactly what Cooks wanted this offseason. The 29-year-old receiver expressed his desire to play for a contender, no longer wanting to be a part of the Texans’ rebuild.
With the deal now going through, this will be the fourth time Cooks has been traded in his NFL career. He joins Eric Dickerson and Kiko Alonso as the only players in NFL history to be traded four times.
Cooks will immediately become the Cowboys’ No. 2 receiver next season, functioning as a deep threat for an offense that lacked a reliable vertical threat during the 2022 season. While the Cowboys are expected to deploy a more run-heavy approach, Dallas will still be seeking to strike a balance with the play-action that should now be even better with Cooks stretching the field and CeeDee Lamb working underneath.