Brandin Cooks. Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Texans WR Brandin Cooks in danger of voiding guaranteed salary for 2023?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Nov 3, 2022 2:59 PM ET

Wide receiver Brandin Cooks may have millions of reasons to make up with the Houston Texans as soon as possible.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports that Cooks may be in danger of losing his fully-guaranteed 2023 base salary of $18 million per the terms of a contract he signed in April.

"The guaranteed salary for 2023 becomes 'NULL AND VOID' if Cooks commits a 'default' under the specific terms of the contract," Florio explained. "A default occurs if (among other things) the player, without 'prior written consent' of coach Lovie Smith or (general manager) Nick Caserio, 'fails to practice with or play for Club' for reasons other than a football-related injury or illness."

Florio posted his story after ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime and others noted Cooks won't play in the "Thursday Night Football" showdown with the unbeaten Philadelphia Eagles amid his supposed unhappiness over not receiving a new football home ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline.

The 29-year-old seemed to express his disappointment over not being traded via Twitter and missed practice on Tuesday and Wednesday for supposed "personal reasons" presumably linked with the fact he's still with Houston:

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

He will make my paths straight. Trust trust trust him
— Brandin Cooks (@brandincooks) November 3, 2022

"If, as it appears, Cooks has checked out this week due to the fact that he wasn’t traded, the Texans could wipe his 2023 guarantee off the books — and then cut him," Florio added.

ESPN stats show Cooks leads the Texans this season with 32 receptions, 53 targets, and 354 receiving yards. He's tallied one touchdown catch over seven games.

After Thursday's action, Houston will next play at the 6-2 New York Giants on Nov. 13.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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