Report: Texans Trading for Rams WR Brandin Cooks

The Houston Texans appear to have found a replacement for the recently departed DeAndre Hopkins.

The Texans are in the process of acquiring Brandin Cooks in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The Texans will also receive a 2022 fourth-round pick, while the Rams are getting a second-round pick (57th overall) in the 2020 draft, per SI's Albert Breer.

On March 16, Houston traded Hopkins and a fourth-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson, a fourth-round pick and a second-round pick. The move has been criticized from the Texans' perspective, and was made as a result of Hopkins wanting a raise, according to Texans coach and general manager Bill O'Brien.

“The deal with Arizona was a deal that we felt was in the best interest of our team," O'Brien said after the deal was finalized. "DeAndre Hopkins was a great football player here. He made so many plays for us. We love DeAndre Hopkins, but he had three years left on a deal and he wanted a raise and we weren't going to be able to go in that direction."

Cooks spent two seasons in Los Angeles after being traded by the New England Patriots (along with a fourth-round pick) in exchange for picks in the first round and sixth round. He signed a five-year, $81 million deal with the Rams following the trade, with $50.5 million in guarantees.

Cooks posted four consecutive seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards and 65 receptions. He played in 14 games last season, posting 42 receptions (a career low), 583 yards and two touchdowns.

More from Patrick D. Starr of State of the Texans: The Texans continue to make trades that keep them at the forefront of the NFL...The Rams have paid all of Cooks' guarantees, leaving the Texans with a contract for Cooks with no guaranteed money.