One of the players who seemed like a virtual certainty to be moved at last year’s NFL trade deadline could now receive his wish with a ticket out of town. Houston Texans receiver Brandin Cooks first wanted a trade in October, and when he didn’t get one, he let his disappointment be known.
The thing is, Cooks will turn 30 this next season, and he’s now gone four consecutive years without even sniffing the playoffs. That type of failure wears on a player entering the back nine of their career.
But Cooks is still highly-productive, having recorded 1,000-yard seasons in two of his three years in Houston. Now he has just two years left on his contract, but he wants to win. Now.
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the Texans are already trying to satisfy Cooks’ trade request this offseason. He adds that teams from both the AFC and NFC are reaching out to inquire about the cost of adding the 5-foot-10 speedster.
- Brandin Cooks stats last season: 57 receptions, 699 receiving yards, 3 TD catches
As mentioned, Cooks wishes to land with a playoff contender, and after the Texans ended up in last place with a 3-13-1 record, chances are Houston won’t be in for a rapid turnaround next year.
Trading Cooks without a new contract in place would leave behind $16.2 million in dead salary on Houston’s 2023 budget. But it would also offer up to $10.2 million in cap savings, plus the expected draft compensation to go with it.
Several teams, including the Texans, can use a player of Cooks’ caliber. He may not profile as a typical No. 1 receiver, but Cooks is an ideal fit as a secondary or even third target in most NFL offenses. We’ll see if he gets his trade request granted sometime soon.
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