The Dallas Cowboys explored all avenues to bolster their wide receiver corps but weren’t willing to pay a premium for Denver Broncos pass-catcher Jerry Jeudy.
The Cowboys at least made the call to see what it would take to get a deal done for the former first-round receiver, per David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. However, the asking price was too high for the Cowboys liking.
“Dallas has also explored a trade for Jerry Jeudy in the past year. The Denver receiver is a younger, cheaper of version of Cooks who is currently available,” Moore reported. “But the Broncos reportedly want a first-round pick in return, a price the Cowboys were unwilling to pay.”
The 23-year-old Jeudy was the No. 15 overall pick of the Broncos in 2020. He is coming off his best season as a pro, collecting 67 catches for 972 yards and six touchdowns. In all, Jeudy has 2,295 yards on 157 catches in his career.
The Broncos are looking to rebound after a rough year with new head coach Sean Payton at the helm, so it seems logical that they wouldn’t deal one of their top pass-catchers if the price wasn’t right.
Cowboys Make Stellar Move for Brandin Cooks
GettyBrandin Cooks of the Houston Texans reacts after making a catch.
Rather than overspend for Jeudy, the Cowboys made a move for Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks instead. It cost Dallas just a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-round pick in 2024. On top of that, the Cowboys restructured his contract and he’ll count only $6 million against Dallas’ salary cap.
Cooks has played the last three seasons in Houston, going over 1,000 yards in two of those campaigns. He missed four games last season for the struggling Texans, notching 57 catches for 699 yards and three touchdowns.
Cooks expressed his displeasure with the direction of the Texans franchise, which won just 11 games in his three seasons. He’s eager to get going in Dallas with Dak Prescott as his quarterback.
“I couldn’t be more hungry,” Cooks said. “Last three years, it is what it is. But when you step into a locker room like this and an organization, and you got those three years under your belt like that, I mean, it’s definitely fueling the fire and that hunger to be able to come out here and just show up and help my team win. I can’t wait. I truly can’t.”
Cooks on Trade to Cowboys: ‘It Excites Me’
The Cowboys have restructured Brandin Cooks contract, turning $8m of his $12m base salary into signing bonus. His salary is now $4m. He will count $6m against the cap. He is still making the $18m he was guaranteed in 2023 with Houston paying him $6m.
For Cooks, being on the move is nothing new. It was the fourth trade he was involved in, tying with linebacker Kiko Alonso for the most times for a single player since 1994.
“I’m just fortunate enough to be able to play for so many great organizations and make an impact in this league being everywhere I’ve been,” Cooks said. “It excites me. I think it’s special because I didn’t get to free agency, so people are jumping the gun in order to get to me before I get there. So that’s the way I look at it. I look at it in a positive way.”
Cooks will join forces with Cowboys Pro Bowler CeeDee Lamb, who collected 1,359 yards on 107 receptions, finding the end zone nine times. Lamb was adamant that the Cowboys offense needed more weapons and they got one in Cooks.
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Cowboys ‘Unwilling’ to Pay Price in Trade for Former First-Round WR