The Arizona Cardinals have had a quiet offseason so far, opting to let many of their premier free agents walk. As discussed on the site earlier, the team appears to believe in running it back with their 2021 roster, prior to the injuries to DeAndre Hopkins, J.J. Watt and Robert Alford.
While the Cardinals have opted to bring back the likes of Zach Ertz and James Conner, the team has a huge void at the wide receiver and edge rusher positions. A potential and realistic fit might be, once again, calling up the Houston Texans for a wide receiver trade.
This time, the Cardinals could be calling about Brandin Cooks. There have been rumblings about a Cooks trade ever since the team’s roster overhaul following the 2020 season. While the wideout, who has been traded three times already in his young career, has expressed his desire to not be moved once more, rumors of his departure from H-Town persist.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, among others, has reported the Texans have received multiple calls on the star wideout. As of today, it remains unclear who those teams may be.
Cooks is one of the most underappreciated players in the league. Since being drafted in 2014, he has six 1,000-yard seasons, numbers that compare to some of the NFL’s top wideouts. DeAndre Hopkins, drafted in 2013, also has six 1,000 yard campaigns.
Drafted by the Saints, Cooks has moved around to the Patriots, Rams and now the Texans. He has posted a 1,000-yard season with each of those teams. This includes last season, playing with a quarterback carousel and generally bad situation with Houston.
At only 28 years old, Cooks would immediately become the Cardinals’ best No. 2 option, with his ceiling skyrocketing playing across from DeAndre Hopkins. He could also solidify himself in a long-term role with the team, one they’ve long sought during Steve Keim’s tenure.
Entering the final year of his contract, Cooks is due $12.5 million this season, which is a bargain for his production. Especially given the massive contracts handed out to wideouts this season, that number is more than realistic for the Cardinals.
This Cardinals front office has always been in the business of extending players they acquire via trade, so that cap number could feasibly be lowered for 2022 with a potential extension. A three-year extension, for example, would pair the Cardinals with an elite receiver duo with Hopkins through 2025. That is an incredibly ideal scenario for the continued development of the team’s star quarterback, Kyler Murray.
As for draft compensation, the Texans likely wouldn’t be able to fetch a ton for Cooks, despite his elite ability. The team is obviously rebuilding and he is entering the final year of his contract. Perhaps the Cards’ 3rd round pick (pick 87) could entice the Texans enough to send him to the desert. After that, however, it gets complicated with the Cards’ next selection being in the sixth round.
Steve Keim has always stated his desire to fill all positions of need prior to the draft, thereby being able to select the best player available in the first round of the NFL Draft. With a glaring need at wide receiver, would Brandin Cooks to Arizona make sense?
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