The Cleveland Browns need to make a trade for veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks happen as they are trying to build a championship-caliber team
The Cleveland Browns continue to be active this offseason as there have been more reports of the Browns contacting the Houston Texans in regard to a trade involving veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
Cleveland.com sports reporter Mary Kay Cabot reported that news this past week and it has Browns fans taking note. Earlier in the week, I’d written an article about reasons to try and sign wide receiver Will Fuller, who had also recently played with the Texans.
Both players were teammates of Cleveland’s new franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson over the past several seasons. While Fuller has many tangibles that would benefit the Browns, trying to trade for Cooks now would be an even bigger signing.
If you look at Cooks’ career to this point, you’d have to say he’s an outstanding wide receiver who has been very consistent, even more so than a player like Fuller. He has had the chance to team up with Watson and made the very most of it back in 2020.
He’s also at a point in his career where he’ll likely want a bigger contract after this season because he’ll be entering free agency in 2023. If Cooks were playing for a team like the Browns, with the acquisition of Watson, he’d be a lot closer to vying for a championship before his current team, the Texans
I’d also considered a trade for Cooks back a couple of months ago when I wrote about the Browns and Texans swapping players that included Cleveland’s quarterback Baker Mayfield. The Texans are in need of a veteran quarterback and making this type of move now would give each team a player that was more valuable to them at the moment.
The Browns have recently made the move to bring back their third running back, D’Ernest Johnson and the room seems to be getting a bit more crowded. Kareem Hunt, the other main running back for the Browns could also be available in a trade. His value to another team in the league is probably at its highest in years so making a move now would make sense.
So, why would Cooks be such a value to the Browns now in a trade?
Reason No. 1 Cleveland Browns need to trade for Brandin Cooks: A skilled veteran
Brandin Cooks has been in the NFL for eight seasons. He was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Oregon State by the New Orleans Saints. He’s crossed the 1,000-yard mark in six of his eight seasons.
He’s a pass-catching machine, gathering in 90 receptions a year ago in Houston. He’s scored 46 touchdowns in his career. He also has a nice 13.8 yards per catch career average.
Back in 2020, when he teamed up with Deshaun Watson, he went for 20 catches over 20 yards which was tied for third that season. He also caught 52 passes for first downs thrown from Watson.
When he started in New Orleans with the Saints, he really started off hot. In 2015, he pulled in 84 receptions for 1,138 yards and nine touchdowns. The following season in 2016 he went for 1,173 yards on 78 catches and eight more touchdowns.
He was traded to the New England Patriots in 2017 and continued his consistency, by going for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns and a very healthy 16.6 yards after the catch average. He was traded again the next season to the Los Angeles Rams and had the most yards gained in his career with 1,204 by catching 80 passes.
He’s been traded a few times but has still maintained his excellent efforts every season. That will likely continue with whoever picks him up next season when he becomes a free agent.
Reason No. 2 Cleveland Browns need to trade for Brandin Cooks: Deshaun Watson
Brandin Cooks had a terrific season with Deshaun Watson in Houston when they were teammates in 2020. If the Browns were to sign wide receiver Will Fuller in free agency and also trade for Cooks, you’d be giving the new Cleveland quarterback a huge prize. Giving Watson two players that were very familiar with his abilities would only give this new and improved Browns offense a huge boost.
Some will argue that the Browns have wide receiver Amari Cooper already, who they acquired in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys a few weeks ago, and don’t need more wide receivers. The other two wide receivers the team has right now are Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz.
If anyone believes the Browns can get to and win a Super Bowl, with these still very inexperienced wide receivers are fooling themselves.
The Browns need to continue to bolster their roster and Cooks would do that in a big way. The team has lost veterans like wide receivers Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, and Odell Beckham Jr. to free agency and releases. Cleveland needs to rebuild better, and Cooks added to the trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper recently would help make that happen.
Reason No. 3 Cleveland Browns need to trade for Bradin Cooks: The Houston Texans are selling the farm
The Houston Texans are a complete mess at the moment and have no identity as a team. Cooks is likely the biggest bait that the team can still dangle in front of other NFL teams to try and gain some more draft picks and start rebuilding from the ground up again.
Brandin Cooks is only 28 years old. He still has several good years in front of him.
Why would the Texans want to hold onto Cooks now, when he’ll be a free agent after the season? Now is the time to maximize the deal.
The Browns have four picks in the early to mid-rounds of this year’s draft. They also have veterans like Kareem Hunt and cornerback Denzel Ward, who could look appealing in a trade offer to the Texans along with a draft pick or two. The Texans haven’t had a running back of note for years. Hunt could have a new team to help lead.
At the moment, because of the trade for Watson, the Browns are ready to win now. This window will be open for a while, but that time closes quickly if you don’t try and make your team the very best it can be.
Bringing in Brandin Cooks now would be the right move.