Brandin Cooks 'Pissed' or 'Wrist'? Could Unhappy Texans WR Force Houston to Cut Him?
About a year ago, Odell Beckham Jr. did it and ended up a Super Bowl hero in Los Angeles.
About a year ago, Deshaun Watson did it and ended up with $230 million guaranteed in Cleveland.
What, now that his Houston Texans tried but were unable trade to unable to trade Brandin Cooks, should the unhappy receiver not "do it''?
Cooks is displeased with the Texans' inability to deal him to the Dallas Cowboys (or elsewhere) at Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. There are a handful of reasons why it didn't happen - yes, it's "complicated'' - but one senses that good-soldier Cooks feels "lied to'' as to what was about to happen.
And so, Cooks remains on the Texans roster ... but as the 7-0 Eagles play at 1-5-1 Houston tonight on "Thursday Night Football,'' sources tell us Cooks will be inactive.
Maybe because of his wrist.
Maybe because he's pissed.
OK, mostly because he's pissed.
Sit out in a sort-of protest for one game? That could occur, with Cooks following up on having missed the last two practices for "personal reasons'' - reasons like, he assumed he was being traded.
Sit out for a greater length of time in an effort to pry his way off a bad team and onto a good one? It can be argued Cooks recently signed an extension to stay here knowing that he'd be part of an uphill rebuilt ... and that he should honor his agreement.
Using that logic, Cooks, who signed a two-year, $39.6 million contract extension in April that includes $36 million guaranteed, is with the 1-5-1 Texans for at least the remainder of the season.
But ...
Cooks, 29, is upset, having written on Twitter, "Don’t take a man’s kindness for granted. Covered for the lies for too long those days are done. Crossed the line with playing with my career 🏹"
The Texans obviously wish he hadn't done that. Cooks obviously wishes the Texans had created his expected exit.
So "personal reasons'' will be the real reason he sits out the Thursday night home game against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles at NRG Stadium. And while he contemplates his situation, how can he not think of Beckham, who behaved badly in order to force his way off the bad Browns and onto the Super Bowl-champ Rams? Or, closer to home, how can he not reflect on Texans teammate Watson getting in legal and behavioral hot water, but staying on the Houston roster - without having to play - before forcing his trade to Cleveland?
Is it "right''? That's debatable. Is it Cooks' "style''? Not really. Is it an option? Until Brandin Cooks shows up for work, it absolutely is.
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