data-mm-id=”_d8ikfn4ou”>Here we are again, talking about where Brandin Cooks will play next. The 29-year-old wide receiver has been traded by three teams in eight NFL seasons and, if he had it his way, would've made it four last fall as he requested a trade from the Houston Texans multiple times. Hard to blame the guy. He's a good veteran wideout and the Texans were a bad, young dumpster fire with no hope of winning anything. Houston just couldn't get rid of him because his 2023 salary of $18 million was fully guaranteed, which was seen as too steep a price to pay on top of his 2022 salary and the draft picks necessary to get him. This offseason, Cooks should get his wish. The $18 million salary is now essentially an expiring contract since a team can cut him in 2024 with a dead cap hit of only $8 million. And it is very much in the best interest of the Texans to offload Cooks. If they trade him after June 1, they save $18 million in cap space while taking a $16 million dead cap hit spread out over two seasons. Cooks is a good bet to be very unhappy if he's still in a Houston uniform come training camp, so it's basically an assumption at this point that he'll get moved. Texans general manager Nick Caserio told reporters at the combine that the team was trying to work on Cooks' trade requests and other reports emerged that there is interest around the league. #Texans and Brandin Cooks are working through process of try to meet his standing trade request and multiple teams in AFC and NFC are interested in the veteran wide receiver, per league sources. Respectful dialogue ongoing between Cooks and the team. @KPRC2— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 28, 2023Cooks recorded more than 1,000 yards receiving last year while dealing with the Texans' subpar, shall we say, quarterback situation so he still has something left in the tank. Here are a few possible destinations for the well-traveled wideout. New England Patriots Heading back to New England makes all the sense in the world. The Patriots need receiver help and do not have a proven field-stretching threat like Cooks on the roster. They'd like Tyquan Thornton to be that guy but they can't go wrong with having two and there's no guarantee Thornton works out. Giving Mac Jones as many weapons as possible is priority No. 1 in Foxborough. Given the roster fit and the obvious connection between Bill Belichick and Caserio (along with a bunch of mid-round picks the Pats have to offer) this seems like a natural pairing. Baltimore RavensUnfortunately we are obligated to put the Ravens on every single receiving-adjacent list like this until they fix their biggest roster issue. They failed to do so again last year, although it can't be said that they tried very hard. Baltimore hoped Rashod Bateman would break out, but that didn't pay off. Nobody else stepped up in his absence and eventually DeSean Jackson was called upon to provide depth. That, stunningly, did not work. Regardless of what happens with Lamar Jackson Baltimore desperately needs competence at receiver and Cooks can definitely provide that. Does he cost more than the Ravens are accustomed to paying for wideouts? Yes. Should that stop a deal from happening? No. Going cheap on receivers is part of the reason the Ravens weren't able to capitalize on having an MVP quarterback on a rookie deal. It's time to start spending on the position. New York GiantsLike the Ravens above, the Giants are in such dire need of a decent receiver that they'll be in consideration for all available wideouts this offseason. Unlike the Ravens, though, New York is not in this position for lack of trying. They gave Kenny Golladay a huge deal to be their No. 1 and he was such a bust that they're cutting him only two years later. New York could use Cooks to further usher along Daniel Jones' development and would give Brian Daboll more weapons to work with. Yeah, Cooks is expensive and Big Blue is surely in no rush to pay top money to a veteran wideout again. But the Giants can move on next summer if things do not work out. They need another quality set of hands out wide if they want to return to the postseason and Cooks is likely the best option available before the draft.
Related Posts
Ajax midfielder Christian Eriksen has hinted at a future move to La Liga as he feels the football in Spain suits his playing style.
The gifted playmaker is one of the most sought after youngsters in Europe, and has been linked with clubs such as Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United since his breakthrough in Amsterdam.
Nevertheless, a move to the Premier League seems unlikely at this stage as Eriksen is not attracted by the physicality of the football in England.
I don t know yet where I will end up, but the Spanish league suits my style of play better. You get to see a lot of the ball and have the chance to create something, Eriksen told Goal.com.
There are fewer duels and fights for the ball than in the Premier League. Of…
Chelsea s Frank Lampard has revealed his pride at the prospect of leading the team out in Saturday s Champions League final.
Usual skipper John Terry is suspended after his red card during the club s semi-final second leg against Barcelona.
Chelsea will also be without Branislav Ivanovic, Raul Meireles and Ramires due to the trio s respective suspensions, and Lampard also acknowledged that the task of winning will be harder without them.
I ll be very proud to be captain tomorrow. I might take on slightly more responsibility but it won t be much different, he said on Friday.
We re going to miss them hugely. I think all the players missing have been massive contributors this season.
I think Ramires has been our player of the year (and) quite rig…
Former Liverpool midfielder Jan Molby has heaped praise on Georginio Wijnaldum following his impressive start to life at Anfield.
The Netherlands international joined Liverpool from Newcastle United ahead of this season and the versatile midfielder has already won over Molby with his intelligent displays.
Wijnaldum is a clever player, Molby, who won three league titles with the club, told Liverpool s website.
I have always thought he was a really good player and he fits the way we want to play.
He breaks the lines and he makes great runs forward. He has had more of a deeper role so far at Liverpool, but it does not surprise me that he can play there.
He is technically very good and the more you see of him, the more you like. He has an exc…
Manchester City centre-back Joleon Lescott says the club s fans must resist the temptation to celebrate Premier League glory prematurely.
Barring a miraculously large win for Manchester United at Sunderland, Roberto Mancini s men will seal the Premier League title by virtue of goal difference with victory over QPR at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
While the former Everton defender is refusing to get carried away, Lescott revealed his side s growing belief that they will seal the title.
It s a massive game at the weekend. It s not all over yet but, if we could close the title out, it would be unreal, Lescott told reporters.
You dream of these things. I never once thought: Yeah, I m bound to win the Premier League . But it was always in my mind. It will be c…
Prediction: Draw
Best Odds:
Bookmaker:
The Premier League is back in our lives once again this weekend after a short and sweet break, courtesy of the quick turnaround due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All 20 teams have been making preparations ahead of what looks set to be a very competitive league campaign, and today, we re going to be previewing the clash between West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City. The home side will try and avoid relegation after their return to the top flight, whereas the visitors will try and prove that they re still an elite club after their capitulation last season.
West Brom
Slaven Bilic knows what it s like to compete at this level as a manager and he recognised that his side needed to make crucial changes in the summer t…
Andriy Yarmolenko rescued a point for Borussia Dortmund with the equaliser in a 1-1 draw against 10-man Bayer Leverkusen that might earn head coach Peter Bosz a stay of execution.
Dortmund went into the game with Bosz under intense pressure after a run of six games without a win, but his side fell behind after half an hour.
Kevin Volland s opening goal came after a defensive howler from Neven Subotic, but Leverkusen then had Brazilian full-back Wendell sent off just before half-time.
Against 10 men, the visitors dominated the second half possession but failed to break down Heiko Herrlich s well-drilled outfit until Andre Schurrle teed up Yarmolenko for his third league goal of the season.
Despite salvaging a point, the laboured nature of Dortmund s perfor…
A host of Premier League clubs have been linked with a summer move to sign Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, .
The Mexico international is currently on a season-long loan with European Champions Real Madrid, though he has started just five games in all competitions for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Now Stoke City, Everton, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are all set for a battle to secure the 26 year old’s services, with a future at Old Trafford looking unlikely.
Hernandez moved to Manchester in the summer of 2010, and has racked up one hundred and fifty-nine appearances for the club, scoring fifty-nine goals and was part of the squads that won the Premier League title in both 2011 and 2013.
Internationally, he has thirty-eight goals …
UAE outfit Al Nasr are interested in signing Palermo striker Fabrizio Miccoli, according to reports from the Middle East.
The Dubai club, who are coached by former Palermo boss Walter Zenga, have already held talks with the Sicilian outfit according to Sport360.
Al Nasr are expected to release Luca Toni after he struggled to make a significant impact at the club having joined in January and Miccoli is seen as his replacement.
The 32-year-old 10-time Italy international has long been linked with a move to the Middle East and recently admitted his future with Palermo was 50-50 . Miccoli has one year to run of his current contract with the Sicilians.
Miccoli and Zenga know each other well, with the former Italian goalkeeper coaching Palermo in 2009 and 2010…
Southampton F.C. have completed the signing of midfielder Oriol Romeu from Chelsea for a fee believed to be in the region of £5 million.
Romeu becomes the Saints seventh summer recruit following the arrivals of Cédric Soares (Sporting CP), Cuco Martina (FC Twente), Jordy Clasie (Feyenoord), Juanmi (Málaga), Maarten Stekelenburg (on loan from Fulham) and Steven Caulker (on loan from Queens Park Rangers).
The former Spain Under-21 international, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona for €5 million in the summer of 2011, has put pen to paper on a three-year deal at St Mary s.
It s very good to be a part of this club, Romeu said.
I was looking for a good club and for something new in my career. After spending two years on loan, I needed …
Zenit St Petersburg manager Luciano Spalletti has backed Pep Guardiola to become the new Russian manager.
The Football Union of Russia published a 13-strong list of candidates deemed to be worthy successors to Dick Advocaat, including stellar names such as the former Barcelona coach, Marcelo Bielsa and Fabio Capello.
And Spalletti, who has been in charge of Zenit since departing Roma in 2009, believes Guardiola is the best man to take the nation forward.
From my point of view, the best of all the coaches to take over would be Guardiola, he told Zenit s official website.
It would be nice, because I feel a little Russian, if our team is coached by him.
However, the Italian also earmarked his veteran midfielder Sergey Semak as a future Russia co…