Lovie Smith blasts trade questions surrounding Brandin Cooks

Houston Texans head coach Lovie Smith Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Texans HC Lovie Smith blasts trade deadline questions surrounding Brandin Cooks

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 11/1/22

Hours ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, one of the biggest names on the Houston Texans offense was missing from practice . Wide receiver Brandin Cooks has been involved in rampant trade rumors in recent weeks, but according to head coach Lovie Smith, Cooks missed practice Tuesday for "personal reasons."

Lovie Smith, asked if team will trade Brandin Cooks: 'What kind of question is that? Brandin wasn't out there today. He was excused for personal reasons.'
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 1, 2022

Lovie Smith: 'I talked to Brandin today. When I say a guy is excused for personal reasons, I never talk about personal reasons.' Asked if Texans receive offers for Cooks: 'If we did, we're not going to talk about it.'
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 1, 2022

Smith went on to say that the 29-year-old has a "big role" for the team and is one of the "best players" on the squad and that the organization likes having "him here."

Lovie Smith: 'I don't live in the world of hypotheticals. Brandin (Cooks) is a part of our football team. Believe it or not, we're playing the Philadelphia Eagles'
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 1, 2022

Lovie Smith on Brandin Cooks, if he's still here past NFL trade deadline, becoming more involved going forward: 'We need production from our running game. That will help the passing game. We have a lot of options. Brandin is one of them.'
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 1, 2022

Cooks, indeed, is one of the focal points of the Texans offense. Through seven games, he leads Houston in targets (53), receptions (32) and receiving yards (354).

Cooks paced the Texans in all three categories last season as well, to go along with a team-high six touchdown receptions. His 134 targets in 2021 were more than double any other Houston player, as were his 1,037 receiving yards, and his 90 catches were nearly three times more than Nico Collins, who ranked second with 33 receptions.

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