Cowboys vs. Packers Trades: DeAndre Hopkins, Chase Claypool, Brandin Cooks - How 'Aggressive' & 'Serious'?
FRISCO - How "aggressive'' and "serious'' were two of the most high-profile teams in the NFC when it comes to trying to acquire a star receiver at last week's NFL trade deadline?
It depends on the source.
That applies for certain to what we know about the Dallas Cowboys' "serious'' pursuit of a trade for Houston's Brandin Cooks. And we bet it also applies to the Green Bay Packers' reportedly "aggressive'' attempt to get Pittsburgh's Chase Claypool. And is applies to the story that has Dallas calling Denver about Jerry Jeudy. And now that there is buzz about Arizona getting calls on DeAndre Hopkins, we bet it applies to that story as well.
We are told that the Cowboys felt they were "close'' on acquiring Cooks and that they were so "serious'' about the pursuit that they bent to the Texans' wish to be given "a second-round pick plus'' - maybe meaning another pick as high as a fourth-rounder. What Dallas wanted in return, sources told us, was for Houston to help restructure Cooks' contract in a way that would free Dallas from carrying the entire $18 million guaranteed in 2023 on its cap.
But Monday marks the CBA deadline for such a restructure. So how is it the two parties were still "working on it right up until the (3 p.m. Tuesday trade) deadline,'' as one source told us was the case?
Something doesn't add up.
One NFL source tells us simply, "(Houston GM Nick Caserio) backed out. But another league source with knowledge of the situation wonders if Dallas was actually "putting on a show,'' as the source put it ... the sort of skepticism that chases Cowboys billionaire owner Jerry Jones, his critics long wondering if the marketing and profitability of "America's Team'' are actually the franchise's priorities.
And "for show'' can in theory be applied elsewhere.
ESPN's Adam Schefter, for instance, is trying to make a "Sunday Morning Splash'' by writing that the Packers "aggressively'' pursued a trade for Claypool. But given that Claypool eventually was dealt to Chicago, just how "aggressive'' was Green Bay? Critics of the Packers' receiver-weak roster might say "not aggressive'' enough - and critics might also wonder of ESPN is carrying water for the people in charge of the Packers, helping to create an appearance of effort ... when subjectivity and even bias make it impossible to truly judge "aggressiveness'' here.
Does it count as being "aggressive'' for Dallas to call Denver about Jeudy? Maybe. But if a team goes into the call knowing the price is going to be a second-rounder, and nobody budges ... was that "aggressive'' enough?
And one more case: NFL Network is reporting that teams called the Cardinals to explore the availability of DeAndre Hopkins. We buy the validity of this; as Ian Rapoport writes, "The Cardinals are 3-5 and teams often reach out to those below .500 by the trade deadline to inquire about stars.''
But what we're interested to learn now: Are the Cowboys one of the inquiring teams? Are the Packers?
Because if not - if Dallas and Green Bay didn't think to look under a stone that as Rapoport illustrates is a very logical place for a receiver-needy team to search - then Dallas and Green Bay, no matter what "sources'' claim, were not "aggressive'' and "serious'' enough.
Unless, of course, the Cowboys have in their back pocket a plan to sign Odell Beckham Jr, which could be labeled both "showy'' and "aggressive.''
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