Over the last decade or so, Cowboys receiver Brandin Cooks has established himself as a consistent threat wherever he’s been. He never quite cracked the realm of elite NFL receivers, but in five stops around the league, he racked up six 1,000-yard seasons in 11 years in the league.
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He spent the last two with the Cowboys, who acquired him in a trade for a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-rounder in 2024, and proved to be well worth that piddling price. Cooks had signed a two-year, $40 million extension the previous season, and the Texans mostly wanted him off their books.
He proved to be a solid counterpoint to CeeDee Lamb in 2023, catching 54 passes for 657 yards and eight touchdowns. But in 2024, Cooks struggled with a knee injury, and caught just 26 passes for 259 yards. Now, he’s hitting free agency, and with the Cowboys looking to rebuild their receiving room going forward, Cooks is likely to land elsewhere.
Brandin Cooks Lost a Step
In fact, at the Cowboys site, Blogging the Boys, the consensus is that Cooks will not only leave, but will join the hated rival Commanders and former Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on a projected two-year, $18 million contract.
Cooks is 32, and with the Cowboys likely to find a playmaker in the draft, there just is no room for him in Dallas.
Writes BtB: “The Cowboys have so many holes to fill on their roster they’ll likely need to go younger and cheaper at the receiver position. The biggest thing Dallas’ current roster lacks at the receiver position is speed, and at this point of his career, Cooks has lost a step.
With CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Tolbert, Jonathan Mingo, and Jalen Brooks all under contract next season, it seems likely the Cowboys will spend a high draft pick on a young receiver and let the veteran Cooks walk in free agency. The trade for Brandin Cooks was still one of Dallas’ best offseason moves of the last decade, but it seems likely his time in Dallas has come to an end.”
Cowboys Could Swing Big on a Draft Receiver
The Cowboys could not only look to the draft for an answer at receiver, they could look to the first round. It’s unlikely that projected top WR Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona would be available when Dallas picks (No. 12), but the Cowboys would be in range for a player like Luther Burden from Missouri or Emeka Egbuka from Ohio State.
If not one of those three, the Cowboys could well wait until the second round to take a receiver.
It’s also possible that Dallas could address the spot in free agency, but the class of players available is not very enticing and the Cowboys don’t want to spend. Additionally, despite speculation they could get in on a trade for disgruntled Dolphins star Tyreek Hill, that is a long shot.
