Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks reacts to being traded a fourth time
New Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks has reacted to being traded for the fourth time during his NFL career.
"I've really never gotten upset because obviously, that means someone out there wants me to be a part of their group," Cooks said on Monday, as shared by Todd Archer of ESPN. "Fortunate enough to go for some great draft picks. I think I'm just fortunate enough to be able to play with so many great organizations and make an impact in this league everywhere I've been."
It was learned on Sunday that the Cowboys acquired Cooks from the Houston Texans for a fifth-round draft pick in 2023 and a 2024 sixth-round draft pick.
That transaction tied Cooks with running back Eric Dickerson and linebacker Kiko Alonso for the all-time NFL trade record.
Cooks likely is thrilled with this latest career development. The 29-year-old didn't hide this past November that he was displeased Houston didn't send him elsewhere ahead of the trade deadline, and he admitted later that month and again after the campaign that he wasn't looking forward to being part of a rebuild with the Texans.
Instead, he joins a Cowboys team that most recently went 12-5 and then earned a playoff win at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January.
Cooks originally signed a two-year extension with the Texans last April that included a fully-guaranteed 2023 base salary of $18M.
Per Archer, Houston will now pay $6M of that salary, while Dallas will cover the remaining $12M. The deal runs through the 2024 campaign.
Cooks ended the 2022 season with 57 receptions for 699 yards and three touchdowns. He'll look to improve upon those numbers catching passes thrown by Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott later this year.
"I don’t know," Cooks responded when asked Monday why he has been traded so many times, according to Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. "I don’t know. I don’t know. I really can’t answer that, honestly. I mean you can ask my teammates and any coaches I’ve been a part of, and I would think they would say I’ve been one of the best teammates they’ve had. There’s a reason why so many teams have tried to come back and trade for me. I don’t know. I don’t know."
Cooks previously played for the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, and Houston.
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