There was an interesting trade in the National Football League on Thursday. The Los Angeles Rams have traded wide receiver Brandin Cooks of Stockton, California to the Houston Texans with a fourth round draft pick in the 2022 NFL Draft for a second round draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft according to Danny Heifetz of The Ringer.
Texans Head Coach and General Manager Bill O’Brien was already questioned and criticized for trading their star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for running back David Johnson on March 20. Now there are questions as to why Houston went ahead and made a deal with the Los Angeles Rams for Cooks when there is a lot of depth at wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Cooks is joining his fourth NFL franchise. In addition to the Rams, he has played for the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots. This is in fact the fourth time in his career that Cooks was traded. On May 8, 2014, the Saints acquired the Cardinals first round draft pick for their first and third round draft picks to get Cooks. On March 10, 2017, the Patriots acquired Cooks and a fourth round draft pick from the Saints for a first and third round draft pick. Then on April 3, 2018, the Rams acquired Cooks and a fourth round draft pick from the Patriots for a first round draft pick and a sixth round draft pick.
Last season with the Rams, Cooks had 42 catches for 583 yards and two touchdowns. He actually had a career low in touchdown catches and had fewer than 1000 yards for the first time since his rookie season with the Saints in 2014.
It should be noted that the Rams are relatively strong at positions where players are able to catch the football. They currently have Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods at wide receiver and Tyler Higbee and Gerald Everett at tight end.
Cooks now becomes a number one receiver in Houston. But can Cooks replace Hopkins effectively? Houston also has Will Fuller V in the mix, but has never had a full NFL season, primarily due to injury.
