For all his on-field accomplishments—four 1,000-yard receiving seasons (and 16 yards shy of his fifth), 40 regular-season touchdowns and a pair of Super Bowl appearances—journeyman receiver Brandin Cooks has never found a true NFL home. The former first-round pick has spent his career getting tossed around the league like a hot potato, living out of his suitcase like an aimless drifter. The Texans are his fourth team in five seasons, a trend Cooks would rather not continue going forward.
“As far as a team thinking they could trade me for draft capital, I would caution them to think twice, because quite frankly, I’m not going to accept any more trades,” the 27-year-old warned ahead of Houston’s season finale Sunday against Tennessee. “If you want me off your team, you've just got to let me walk and choose my destination.”
Exhausted from years of coming and going, Cooks’ nomadic existence has clearly caught up to him. A new father, Cooks is ready to put down roots in Houston. “I've got a newborn son at home and he's looking for someone to set an example,” said Cooks via ESPN’s Sarah Barshop. “So I think it's, for me, starting to stand firm when it comes to my career.”
2020 has been a down season overall for the Texans, though Cooks sees potential for greatness, particularly in quarterback Deshaun Watson, who ranks second in both passing yards (4,458) and quarterback rating (112.1). “Who wouldn't want to play with a quarterback like Deshaun?" asked Cooks. “I feel great about playing in this offense.”
The Oregon State alum is under contract through 2023, though the $39 million remaining on his deal isn’t guaranteed.
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