Following the acquisition of Stephon Gilmore and the re-signing of multiple key free agents, such as Donovan Wilson and Leighton Vander Esch, the Dallas Cowboys seemed to have everything in place for a flawless report card during the initial free agency wave. Nonetheless, one vital element was missing: the addition of an impact receiver. However, fans can now give them an A+ rating, as the Cowboys made a trade for Texans wideout, Brandin Cooks, early on Sunday morning.
Hopkins and OBJ linked to Cowboys
DeAndre Hopkins and Odell Beckham Jr. were the names most heavily linked to Dallas. Nevertheless, reports suggested that the Cowboys had never truly made an inquiry regarding Hopkins, who expressed his desire to join the team and was even willing to renegotiate his contract to facilitate the move. On the other hand, Beckham’s contract demands indicated that the Cowboys would ultimately seek alternatives.
As a result, the Cowboys traded for Cooks, giving up a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-round pick in 2024. Brandin Cooks has amassed six 1,000-yard seasons in his career, including four consecutive ones from 2015 to 2018, and although he has never been selected to a Pro Bowl, many of his NFL peers consider him to be a player of that caliber. In the 2021 season, Cooks recorded 90 catches for 1,037 yards and six touchdowns for the 4-13 Texans.
Brandin Cooks joins CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup
With Cooks joining CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup, the Cowboys’ WR corps suddenly became a force to be reckoned with, putting Dak Prescott in an excellent position to bounce back from a lackluster campaign. Recent rumors had suggested that the Cowboys would only authorize a receiver trade if it equaled the value of the Amari Cooper trade. That made many fans skeptical that a trade would happen since DeAndre Hopkins was going for a second-round pick, and the Broncos were asking for a first-round pick for Jerry Jeudy.
To make matters even better, Houston will pay $6 million of Cooks’ 2023 salary, leaving the Cowboys to pay the remaining $12 million. Although Brandin Cooks may not be as dynamic as Cooper and Jeudy, he is the perfect complement to CeeDee Lamb. Cooks typically plays out wide over 70% of the time, which will allow Lamb to shift inside to the slot, where he has thrived throughout his career. Additionally, Cooks can also play the slot, indicating that Dallas may be moving both players around significantly next season.
Overall, the Cowboys had a fantastic start to the offseason.
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