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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brandin Cooks is being mentioned as a potential trade candidate in NFL rumors. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox put together three potential trade proposals for the Cowboys to consider for Cooks.
One trade pitch has the Baltimore Ravens landing Cooks in exchange for 2024 fourth-round and seventh-round picks (No. 226). The Cowboys move up in the seventh round by sending the Ravens the No. 242 selection.
It is understandable why Baltimore would want to add another playmaker for Lamar Jackson. Yet, it is less clear whether the cap savings is worth this sort of move for Dallas.
“Trading Cooks before March 18 would save $4 million in cap space, and it wouldn’t mark the first time Dallas has dumped a productive receiver for cap purposes,” Knox wrote in a March 4, 2024 story titled, “Cowboys’ Top Hypothetical Trade Packages for Brandin Cooks.” “Two offseasons ago, the Cowboys traded Amari Cooper to the Cleveland Browns for a mere fifth-round pick and a swapping of sixth-round selections.
“As was the case with Cooper, Dallas could easily value the additional cap flexibility more than the return in a Cooks trade.”
Cowboys Rumors: Dallas Could Trade Brandin Cooks in a Cap Savings Move
Framing this as a move similar to the Amari Cooper trade is sure to anger a large portion of Cowboys fans. Dallas has still been unable to find a suitable replacement for Cooper even though CeeDee Lamb has emerged as one of the top NFL wide receivers.
The case for moving on from Cooks is almost all financially related. Cooks is slated to have an $8 million salary along with a $10 million cap hit for 2024. The veteran wideout is entering the final season of a 2-year, $39.7 million contract.
Indeed, Cooks’ production may not be living up to his current deal. Cooks posted 54 receptions for 657 yards in 16 appearances last season, his lowest totals since 2019. The playmaker did emerge as a late-season red zone threat notching 8 touchdowns, his highest number since 2016.
Is it realistic to think the Cowboys can find a legit WR2 with this $10 million cap savings? Dallas may be wise to keep Cooks for his final season and also attempt to add another wideout to the mix this offseason.
Dallas needs more production at receiver with Lamb being the only consistent option in 2023. It is worth noting that Cooks’ comfortability with Dak Prescott appeared to take shape to close out the season after a slow start.
Ravens Rumors: Could Brandin Cooks Be Odell Beckham Jr.’s Replacement?
The case for Baltimore making this kind of move is simple. This is a Super Bowl contender who would likely prefer the production of Cooks over the lottery ticket of a fourth-round selection. Odell Beckham Jr. is a free agent which may open up a spot at receiver for the Ravens.
“Cooks would be a logical replacement for Beckham in Baltimore’s lineup, given their similar skill set,” Knox added. “His relatively reasonable salary could also benefit the Ravens, who have just $16.5 million in projected cap space.
“The 2024 free-agent receiver class is deep, but that doesn’t mean that quality pass-catchers will suddenly become affordable. Since the Ravens pick late in the draft order, Dallas could conceivably pry a bit more draft capital—in the form of a seventh-round swap, in this hypothetical trade—than it might from a team like Cleveland.”
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