Cowboys Acquire WR Brandin Cooks for Pair of Draft Picks

Oct 30, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks (13) makes a reception during the fourth quarter as Tennessee Titans cornerback Roger McCreary (21) defends at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

After nearly acquiring him at the trade deadline this past season, the Dallas Cowboys traded for wide receiver Brandin Cooks on Sunday, acquiring the veteran for a pair of draft picks.

Dallas is sending a fifth-round pick this season and a sixth-rounder next year to the Houston Texans in exchange for the nine-year pro, NFL Media reported. Houston also eats a third of his salary, leaving Dallas on the hook for $12 million in 2023. He has two years remaining on his deal.

According to ESPN, the Cooks trade makes an Odell Beckham Jr. signing in Dallas highly unlikely.

Cooks has been a consistent No. 1 receiver throughout his NFL career across four teams, with 630 receptions for 8,616 yards and 49 touchdowns. He has reached at least 1,000 yards in six of his nine seasons, and has had one of those seasons for every team he has played for.

Acquiring Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore for Day 3 picks is outstanding team building by the Cowboys. The Draft is not deep at the WR position and they can still fill a remaining need of their's and draft an offensive linemen at 26 where there is depth in the draft. https://t.co/Os6Q0BLzDC

— Mike Tannenbaum (@RealTannenbaum) March 19, 2023

Cooks is also no stranger to being dealt. After being drafted 20th overall in 2014 by the New Orleans Saints, he was dealt first to the New England Patriots, and then again one season later to the Los Angeles Rams. In both instances, part of the return was a first-round pick. After two years the Rams sent him to Houston for a second-rounder. His three-year stint in Houston matches his longest tenure with a single team.

The Cowboys made a bid to acquire Cooks ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, but could not make it work with his salary at the time.

Like his previous stops, Cooks is expected to fill a starting role with the Cowboys, though not as the top receiver this time around. Dallas has CeeDee Lamb firmly entrenched as their top target, and Cooks will slide in as the No. 2 receiver in their offense ahead of the oft-injured Michael Gallup and last year's third-round pick, Jalen Tolbert.