Despite being traded three times in his career, Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks appears to have been hoping to be dealt one more time prior to Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline. Cooks was rumored to be one of the deadline's available big-name players despite signing a two-year, $39.8 million extension with the Texans this past offseason. His head coach, Lovie Smith, said via SportsRadio 610 in Houston that Cooks was excused from Tuesday's practice for "personal reasons."
After not getting dealt, Cooks did not practice on Wednesday, once again for personal reasons, per NFL reporter Aaron Wilson. He is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles.
Sports Illustrated reported that the Texans and Dallas Cowboys were discussing a deal for Cooks and were in the neighborhood on compensation, but that guaranteed salary became the deal-breaker. On top of possibly heading to Dallas, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported there were talks for Cooks, but nothing came of them, and also noted that the Green Bay Packers couldn't come to any deals despite their best efforts.
However, the deadline came and went and Cooks remained a Texan. Here's what he tweeted shortly after 4 p.m. ET.
Don’t take a man’s kindness for granted. Covered for the lies for too long those days are done. Crossed the line with playing with my career 🏹
— Brandin Cooks (@brandincooks) November 1, 2022
Thanks to that offseason extension, Cooks has a fully guaranteed salary of $18 million for the 2023 season and is under contract through 2024. The 2023 guarantee may have hindered some of the potential contenders for Cooks being able to agree with the Texans on draft pick compensation. Cooks had six seasons of over 1,000 yards receiving in his first eight in the league from 2014-2021.
The 20th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft has been productive in each place he has been dealt. Cooks was traded from New Orleans to New England in 2017, his fourth season. He spent a year with the Patriots and reached Super Bowl LII. He faced the Patriots in Super Bowl LIII the following season after being traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 2018. Cooks spent two years in Sean McVay's system before he was dealt to the Texans in advance of the 2020 season.
The 5-foot-10, 183-pound wideout had two 1,000-yard campaigns in three seasons with the Saints. He topped the 1,000-yard mark during his sole season with Tom Brady and had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons during his first two seasons with the Texans, while catching passes from the likes of Deshaun Watson, Tyrod Taylor and Davis Mills. His 2022 season has been slow so far, with only 32 receptions for 354 yards and a score in seven games, while averaging 11.1 yards per catch -- the fewest since his rookie season in 2014.
