There was low-level speculation regarding whether the receiver-needy New England Patriots might be interested in trading for veteran wideout Brandin Cooks this offseason.
Given the Dallas Cowboys acquired Cooks from the Houston Texans for a modest fifth- and sixth-round pick Sunday morning, it's fair to think the Patriots could have benefited from the deal themselves.
There were not any reports immediately after the trade citing whether or not the Cowboys were the only team making calls for Cooks.
The fact Houston is paying $6 million for Cooks to play in Dallas this season, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, makes the deal even better for his next team. Cooks reportedly restructured his contract Saturday before the trade. The Cowboys will pay Cooks $12 million with the wideout's $18 million salary in 2023 guaranteed. Cooks is under contract through 2024.
The trade of the 29-year-old Cooks doesn't come as a surprise. The former Texans pass-catcher expressed his unhappiness with the organization before last year's NFL trade deadline. He didn't want to be a part of the team's rebuild and thus was a likely trade candidate entering the offseason.
Cooks would have provided Mac Jones and the Patriots with a speedy and reliable veteran. During his nine-year career, Cooks has six seasons with 1,000-plus yards and four with 80 or more receptions. Only Travis Kelce and Mike Evans have more 1,000-yard seasons since 2015. Cooks was a first-round pick by the New Orleans Saints in 2014 and has been traded a record four times in his career.
Cooks caught passes from Tom Brady as a member of the Patriots in 2017 and finished with 65 catches for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns. The fact he already played for both Bill Belichick and newly hired offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, who was the coach in Houston when Cooks first landed with the Texans, surely added to the speculation.
However, it will not come to fruition. Instead, Cooks will complement Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb and give Dak Prescott another weapon on offense.
The Patriots did add to their group of skill players last week with the signings of JuJu Smith-Schuster and pass-catching tight end Mike Gesicki. The moves came after New England allowed Jakobi Meyers to walk and sign with the Las Vegas Raiders. But there nevertheless remains the feeling the Patriots will need to do more as it relates to their group of receivers.
Cooks would have been a solid addition given both his skillset and the price he was moved for.
