4/9/2020 football Edit

Texans acquire former Beaver Brandin Cooks from Rams

Brenden Slaughter • BeaversEdge

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Former Oregon State standout Brandin Cooks is on the move for the third time in his six-year NFL career as the Los Angeles Rams have agreed to trade him to the Houston Texans per multiple sources.

The deal, which was first reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, has the Texans sending a second-round pick to LA in exchange for Cooks and a fourth-rounder.

The 26-year-old Cooks was originally drafted by New Orleans in 2014 with the 20th pick in the first round but only lasted three seasons in the Big Easy before being shipped off to New England prior to the start of the 2017 season.

Cooks played a year for Tom Brady and Co. and helped the Pats reach Super Bowl LII against Philadelphia, but missed the majority of the contest with a concussion. Following his one-year stint in NE, Cooks was traded to LA where signed a five-year, $81 million dollar extension with $50.5 million guaranteed. Cooks then helped the Rams reach the Super Bowl the following season (a loss to NE) and became one of the select few players to appear in back-to-back Super Bowls with different teams.

The 5-foot-10, 183-pounder is coming off a rough season that saw him catch the fewest balls in his career (42) and post his second-lowest season yardage total (583). This past season also saw Cooks' four-year 1,000-yard receiving streak come to an end as the Rams just weren't the same team offensively, and Cooks suffered two separate concussions.

Cooks has struggled with concussions throughout his career as he has had five since entering the league, including two this past season, but visited a specialist in Pittsburgh after his most recent head injury to get more familiar and comfortable with his prior history.

Given the Rams' salary-cap situation and Houston's need for another top-tier receiver following the Deandre Hopkins trade, the deal is a no-brainer. LA is going to have a really tough time not being at the bottom of the NFC West this season while Cooks will now get the opportunity to play with two-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson.

With Houston mortgaging a second-round pick in the deal, they're certainly hoping Cooks can find the same magic he had in 2018 with the Rams when he posted career-high in yards (1,204).

Time will tell if the move pays off for Cooks, but as of now, it seems like a great opportunity for him to get a fresh start with a team that has playoff aspirations and needs a receiver like him to shine. If he can stay healthy, he's primed for a big bounce-back season in an explosive offense that will feature the likes of Watson, David Johnson, Will Fuller and others.