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Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks
Over the last decade or so, Cowboys receiver Brandin Cooks has established himself as a consistent threat wherever he’s been. He never quite cracked the realm of elite NFL receivers, but in five stops around the league, he racked up six 1,000-yard seasons in 11 years in the league.
He spent the last two with the Cowboys, who acquired him in a trade for a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-rounder in 2024, and proved to be well worth that piddling price. Cooks had signed a two-year, $40 million extension the previous season, and the Texans mostly wanted him off their books.
He proved to be a solid counterpoint to CeeDee Lamb in 2023, catching 54 passes for 657 yards and eight touchdowns. But in 2024, Cooks struggled with a knee injury, and caught just 26 passes for 259 yards. Now, he’s hitting free agency, and with the Cowboys looking to rebuild their receiving room going forward, Cooks is likely to land elsewhere.
Brandin Cooks Lost a Step
In fact, at the Cowboys site, Blogging the Boys, the consensus is that Cooks will not only leave, but will join the hated rival Commanders and former Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on a projected two-year, $18 million contract.
Cooks is 32, and with the Cowboys likely to find a playmaker in the draft, there just is no room for him in Dallas.
