While the Houston Texans are without a quarterback currently, that didn’t stop them from extending the contract of Brandin Cooks.
The 28-year-old receiver is entering his third season with the Texans and was a subject of trade rumors.
However, the Texans decided they want Cooks around for the future.
The extension keeps him in Houston through the 2024 season.
This marks the first time that Cooks wasn’t traded by a team when he was nearing the end of his contract.
Given the talent level, though, it's probably weirder / funnier that Brandin Cooks has been traded three times.
Has any other player ever had three consecutive 1000-yard receiving seasons for three different teams?
— Michael Thomas Marques Colston (@ZoneReads) November 18, 2020
Keeping him with the team also helps the Texans’ future quarterback.
Whoever that starter is, they will need a top receiver to pass to during the season.
Cooks Is A Solid Receiver For The Texans’ Future
Cooks had over 1,000 yards in each of his two seasons with the Texans.
His production was good even without Deshaun Watson as quarterback in 2021.
Cooks showed he can produce no matter who’s under center.
The two-year extension from the Texans allows them to have him around to work with their new quarterback.
It gives Cooks time to develop a bond with whoever the Texans choose to take over the quarterback position.
That also helps Cooks in the long run, as his stats can improve with a stable quarterback under center.
Keeping Cooks also gives the Texans a better chance of winning games in 2022.
What Can The Texans Do Besides Keeping Cooks To Improve The Team?
While keeping Cooks is a first excellent step, the Texans need more than just him to win games.
The team needs players at every position, something that they can fill in the draft.
Whelp, according to PFF, @Jaguars don’t have that many needs anymore…
Now the @HoustonTexans on the other hand 👀😂🤣🤦🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/dhLoFKgALx— CTJagsFan (@johnnysaz77) April 5, 2022
They have the third overall pick along with the 13th overall.
Those two picks can help fill Houston’s needs, along with the other nine picks they have after those two.
However, 11 total picks can only go so far for the Texans when they have so many needs on offense and defense.
To get the maximum out of those picks, the Texans need to choose wisely.
Everyone knows their biggest need is a quarterback.
However, most see the 2022 draft class of quarterbacks as inferior to the upcoming 2023 draft class.
Passing on a quarterback leaves the Texans with some choices on the offensive and defensive line.
Building up those lines can help the Texans rebuild both sides of the ball.
Evan Neal And Jermaine Johnson II Fill Texans Needs In First-Round
Offensive tackle Evan Neal and edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II give the Texans the players they need on both sides of the ball.
Neal is a top five tackle in the draft and is solid with protecting the quarterback.
Johnson is the best edge-setter in the 2022 draft, but could slip to 13th in the draft for the Texans.
He can be the replacement the team needs since losing J.J. Watt in 2021.
With these two players, the team can show fans they are committed to rebuilding for the future.
They will also have plenty of picks in 2023 to finish filling the holes they have left after 2022.
Leave a Reply