FRISCO, Texas — Wanted to add speed and complement to the Pro Bowler CeeDee LambThe Dallas Cowboys is getting Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin is cooking for a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-round pick in 2024, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter.
The Cowboys and Texans had discussions about a deal before last year’s trade deadline but were unable to come to an agreement.
Cooks’ $18 million salary in 2023 is guaranteed, although there may be some salary absorbed by the Texans, a source told Fowler. He is signed until 2024.
Last year, the Cowboys made a trade Amari Cooper in Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick but only added a veteran James Washington in free agency and Jalen Tolbert in the third round instead. Washington suffered a broken leg in training camp and played in just two games, making no catches before being released. Tolbert caught just two passes as a rookie.
In Michael Gallup returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, executive vice president Stephen Jones said it was “probably fair,” to criticize the Cowboys for not doing enough to replace Cooper.
In Cooks, the Cowboys get a rushing threat to pair with Lamb and Gallup, who the organization believes will be even better in his second year out of the primary.
Cooks, who turns 30 in September, caught 57 passes for 699 yards and three scores in 13 games for the Texans last season. During his career with the Texans, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saintshe had 630 receptions for 8,616 yards and 49 touchdowns.
This is the fourth time he has been traded in his career.
His $18 million salary in 2023 is guaranteed, although there may be some salary absorbed by the Texans, according to Fowler. He is signed until 2024.
This is the second major trade the Cowboys have made in the past week. Dallas also got the cornerback Stephen Gilmore from Indianapolis Colts for a fifth-round pick (No. 176 overall).
The Cowboys built their roster through the draft, avoiding major free agent signings. They now have one pick per round. They had three fifth-round picks after the compensatory selections were announced but two of them have since been received.