Brandin Cooks' contract situation with the Houston Texans had led to widespread speculation that the star wide receiver could be moved here soon.
Reports have suggested that other teams were calling up Houston about making a move for the six-time 1,000-yard receiver.
Those teams will now have to look in another direction. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Houston has signed Cooks to a two-year contract extension through the 2024 season.
Previously, Cooks' contract had him set to become a free agent following the 2022 season. With Houston in rebuild mode, most figured trading Cooks made the most sense.
What Brandin Cooks' contract extension means for the Houston Texans
It’s rather simple on the surface. Houston’s brass, led by general manager Nick Caserio, view Cooks as a team leader. Despite the drama of the past couple of seasons, he remained a highly respected part of the organization. That was not lost on the Texans brass.
As for what Cooks could bring to the table moving forward, it’s no small thing. He’ll provide young quarterback Davis Mills with that consistent weapon that he needs heading into his sophomore season.
- Brandin Cooks stats (2021): 90 receptions, 1,037 yards, 6 TD, 67% completion rate
As you can see, the two worked well together with Mills impressing after being a third-round pick out of Stanford in the 2021 NFL Draft.
All said, Cooks has put up six 1,000-yard seasons over the past seven years. The only exception came back in 2019 with the Los Angeles Rams when he put up a career-low 42 receptions to go with 583 yards in 14 games.
While the Texans are in full-scale rebuild mode following the trade of star quarterback Deshaun Watson, they still want to be somewhat competitive this coming season.
They also want to put Mills in the best possible situation to succeed as a sophomore. Retaining Cooks over the long term does just that.
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