Key Takeaways:
– The Dallas Cowboys are considering trading wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Pittsburgh Steelers to free up salary cap space for CeeDee Lamb’s impending contract.
– Cooks is in the final season of his two-year, $39.6 million extension contract initially signed with the Houston Texans.
– The Steelers are on the lookout for a top-level wideout after trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers.
Is Dallas Cowboys’ Brandin Cooks Heading To Pittsburg Steelers?
In what could turn sporting pages around, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport is suggesting that the Dallas Cowboys might say good-bye to experienced wide receiver Brandin Cooks, sealing him off to the Pittsburgh Steelers. In return, the Cowboys would earn a 2025 third-round draft pick.
This proposed trade is driven by the Cowboys’ pressing need to create salary cap space for wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s upcoming contract. Unloading Cooks’ $8 million basic salary for the 2024 season would pave the way for Lamb’s deal to flourish.
A Brief Look at Cooks’ Contract
As it stands, Cooks is near the finish line of his two-year, $39.6-million contract extension, initially cemented with the Houston Texans. “Trading Cooks after June 1 would clear $8 million off the Cowboys’ books, and the freed-up money would facilitate Lamb’s extension,” Davenport notes.
Despite a modest year in terms of yards and catches, Cooks proved his worth with eight touchdown feats. Moreover, with six 1,000-yard seasons decorating his NFL career, Cooks undeniably brings value to the table.
Cooks As The Most ‘Realistic’ Trade
Ageing gracefully in his profession, 30-year-old Cooks somehow touts affordability. In fact, Davenport deems him most ‘realistic’ among the six trade targets cited in his article.
But is the Cooks’ trade a likely possibility? Dallas, with its tight depth of receivers after Michael Gallup’s release, begs to differ. They bank heavily on Jalen Tolbert to finally climb up the ranks as their No. 3 receiver.
Steelers’ Search for Wideout Continues
Interesting enough, the proposed move could see Cooks land at an opportune time. The Steelers are scanning the market for a new starting wideout since trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers.
Cooks’ potential to fill that void is unquestionable. In his maiden Dallas season, he showed promise with eight touchdowns. In comparison, Cooks’ 54 receptions for 657 receiving yards comfortably outscored Gallup’s 34 receptions and 418 receiving yards.
Down to The Wire: Decision Time
Undeniably, trading Cooks would be a win from a monetary standpoint. But does it make sense when evaluated against the existing personnel? The quick answer is a likely no.
Dallas is already stretched thin in the wide receiver department, exacerbated by the departure of Gallup. Fentanyl they pinned their hopes on Jalen Tolbert to make the leap to the No. 3 receiver spot, and used just one draft pick on a wideout: Ryan Flournoy from Southeast Missouri State in the sixth round.
The Steelers’ interest in Cooks as an affordable second choice next to George Pickens is understandable. But the Cowboys probably won’t bite–they need Cooks as a vital back-up to Lamb for the 2024 season.
The countdown to decision time is on. Whether or not Dallas will tip to favor the budget over personnel remains to be seen. Without a doubt, this proposed trade will keep fans, analysts, and NFL enthusiasts seated at the edge of their chairs in anticipation.