Todd SagittariusESPN staff writerRead for 3 minutes
How the Cowboys landed Brandin Cooks
Jeremy Fowler discusses how the Brandin Cooks trade between Dallas and the Houston Texans blossomed after months of interest between the two sides.
FRISCO, Texas – Looking to add speed and complement 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 Fowler and Jeremy Fowler. Adam Schefter.
The Cowboys and Texans discussed a deal before last year’s trade deadline, but were unable to come to an agreement.
Cooks’ $18 million salary in 2023 is guaranteed. Cooks restructured his contract on Saturday so that Houston will pay $6 million of his salary this season and Dallas the remaining $12 million, sources told ESPN. He has a contract until 2024.
“Beyond blessed and I can’t wait to be special to the star! Very grateful to the Jones family for giving my family and me this opportunity,” 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 Jalen Tolbert in the third round as replacements. Washington suffered a broken foot during training camp and played in just two games, without a catch, before being released. Tolbert caught only two passes as a rookie.
With Michael Gallup returning 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 off major surgery.
Cooks, 29, has spoken out about his accident 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 the Texans 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 in his career that he has been traded.
The Cooks deal is the second major deal 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 eschew big free agent signings. They now have one pick in each round. They had three picks in the fifth round after offsetting selections were announced, but have since split two.