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Report: Vikings Have Inquired About Brandin Cooks Trade With Texans

Several other NFC teams are in the mix for Cooks, according to Jordan Schultz.
Will Ragatz|
Report: Vikings Have Inquired About Brandin Cooks Trade With Texans
Report: Vikings Have Inquired About Brandin Cooks Trade With Texans

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The Vikings have reached out to the Texans regarding a potential trade for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, according to The Score's Jordan Schultz. The Packers, Rams, and Giants have also inquired about Cooks, a 29-year-old wideout with six 1,000-yard seasons to his name.

With the Texans off to a rough start at 1-4-1, it makes sense for them to consider trading Cooks. He has a cap hit of $9.8 million this year, but that goes up to $26.6 million in 2023 and 24.6 million in 2024. 

Cooks would add a much-needed element of speed to the Vikings' offense as a vertical threat, but he's a lot more than just a deep option. He has over 8,500 career yards from scrimmage and 49 touchdowns, reaching the century mark in six of the last seven years — with four different teams.

After a stellar three-year career at Oregon State, Cooks was drafted 20th overall by the Saints in 2014. He spent his first three years in New Orleans, combining for over 2,300 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2015 and '16. Cooks was then traded for a first-round pick in each of the next two offseasons, going to New England in 2017 and to the Rams in 2018.

In 2020, following the least productive year of his career, Cooks was traded to the Texans for a second-round pick. He bounced back with two big seasons, but he's off to a slow start this year playing with quarterback Davis Mills, putting up 28 catches for 281 yards and a touchdown in six games.

Cooks was traded four months after Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell arrived in Los Angeles, but the two are familiar with each other. Adding a wide receiver of his caliber would make Minnesota's offense that much more dangerous. Cooks would likely eventually supplant Adam Thielen as the Vikings' full-time No. 2 receiver, given that he's three years younger and a shiftier athlete. At 5'10", 183 pounds, he ran an elite 4.33 40 at the 2014 combine, with an even more impressive 3.81 short shuttle time.

At 29, Cooks is still on the back end of his prime. He caught 90 passes for 1,037 yards and six touchdowns last season.

Depending on the cost, this is something the Vikings should consider. Cooks has a big contract, which may decrease the draft capital required to trade for him. However, with several other NFC teams reportedly interested, including the rival Packers, the Texans should come away with a decent pick if they decide to move Cooks. The added benefit of the Vikings acquiring him would be to keep him from going to Green Bay, who Schultz considers a dark horse in the sweepstakes.

Think about it: Justin Jefferson, Brandin Cooks, Adam Thielen, and K.J. Osborn in the same O'Connell-led offense, not to mention Irv Smith Jr. and Dalvin Cook. Adding Cooks would help the Vikings create more big plays in the passing game; since 2015, only DeSean Jackson and Tyreek Hill have more catches of at least 50 yards than his 15.

The Vikings would need to clear up cap space via restructures to take on Cooks' contract. It's possible the Texans would eat some of his remaining deal this year in an effort to get a better pick back. 

It'll be very interesting to see if the Texans trade Cooks, where he might end up, and what that team would send back to Houston in the deal. The trade deadline is Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. central.

Vikings Trade Deadline Primer: Positions and Players to Watch, Cap Space, More

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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