The Houston Texans draft decision makers traded a second-round pick for Brandin Cooks this past week, but it wasn’t the right move.
Did the Houston Texans draft decision makers really need to trade the 57th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to the Los Angeles Rams for a future fourth-round pick and wide receiver Brandin Cooks? The answer is simple … no.
In fact, the Houston Texans draft process would have been better if they would have just kept the second-round pick and built their team with younger players for less money, rather than trade for Cooks.
Cooks is on the team for the next four seasons, unless the Texans opt out of the contract after this upcoming season, but this year alone they are paying the 26-year old wide receiver $8 million. The following three years, he’s due $12 million per year in ’21 and ’22, plus $12.5 million in ’23.
So, if the Texans decide not to keep Cooks after this upcoming season, well, that was a waste of a second-round pick, but to be honest, this offseason for general manager Bill O’Brien and the front office has been anything but understandable.
The Texans will be the fourth team he’s played for since joining the league in 2014 when he was drafted by the New Orleans Saints, a team he played on from 2014-16. Next came one season with the New England Patriots (2017) and two seasons with the Rams (2018-19).
For his career, Cooks has had the likes of Drew Brees and Tom Brady, along with Jared Goff, as his starting quarterbacks, totaling 402 receptions for 5,730 yards with 34 career touchdowns, all while averaging 14.3 yards per reception.
Cooks has had four 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons in his career, but last season was not one of those years due to concussions. In ’19, Cooks totaled 42 receptions in 14 games where he finished with 583 yards and two touchdowns with the Rams.
It is a mystery as to which version of Cooks will be on the field for the Texans and quarterback Deshaun Watson because of concussion issues. After this upcoming season Cooks does have a large price tag, and the Texans draft just might have been able to select a wide receiver near the talents of Cooks for a lot less against future salary cap numbers.
The Texans will now have to live with the decisions that led to Cooks becoming a member of the Texans’ offense, as he could become the No. 2 wide receiver or even the slot receiver with the rest of the wide receiver roster including Will Fuller, Kenny Stills, Randall Cobb, DeAndre Carter, Keke Coutee and a few others.
Maybe O’Brien liked what he’s seen in Cooks, and maybe Cooks is the star player the Texans need on their roster. Next are five wide receivers who are talented, more contract-friendly and younger than Cooks. These following wide receivers could make an impact with the Texans in the same fashion Cooks might make an impact this upcoming season.
5. Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State
Did the Houston Texans take the “safe route” and not take much risk for reward when they traded a second-round pick for Brandin Cooks? In doing so, they just might have missed out on drafting Brandon Aiyuk of Arizona State.
The 6’0, 205-pound Aiyuk has an unofficial 40-yard dash time of 4.5, along with a 40-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 128 inches. In his draft profile of the wide receiver, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com believes Aiyuk can be a starter within the first two seasons of his career, and he was also compared to Robert Woods, formerly of the Buffalo Bills.
Being a late first-round to second-round projected player, the Texans draft could have easily included a young wide receiver like Aiyuk at 40th overall, or they could have traded up in the draft to get a player with the skill of Aiyuk, who also has a lot of time to improve at the NFL level.
Words like “potential” and “development” surround Aiyuk, so there are some that do believe he has a real opportunity to become a solid player in the NFL. There is also the fact he won’t take a large chunk of cash out of the bank, unlike Cooks, who will be paid a hefty sum of dollars following next season.
4. Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
Laviska Shenault Jr. is another player graded in the second round who at 6’1” and 227 pounds is said to be a “boom or bust” prospect, but he has shown signs of being a very capable wide receiver at the next level.
Shenault Jr. had a 40-yard dash time of 4.58, and while at the NFL Combine he also had 17 reps at the 225-pound bench press. Even Lance Zierlein of NFL.com said the following about the Colorado product, and those in charge of the Houston Texans draft hopefully know about Shenault Jr. as well:
"“Is both talented and stoic as a three-level threat with outstanding physical traits and ball skills…”"
What stands out with Shenault is the fact a month ago it was reported by Adam Schefter — in an ESPN.com article by Jeff Legwold — that Shenault would have surgery “to repair a core muscle injury.”
Unless a team reaches for him, Shenault just might be available at either 40th or 57th overall at the 2020 NFL Draft, but instead of being patient and overpaying for a wide receiver who may have already peaked as a wide receiver, the Texans could have rolled the dice and selected Shenault.
None of this of this is to say Cooks isn’t a solid NFL receiver, but it is more about either the Texans being one-and-done with him, or the fact he’ll be getting paid $12 million per season on a team that has to focus on paying the likes of Laremy Tunsil and Deshaun Watson lots of money in the very near future.
3. Chase Claypool, Notre Dame
“Cheer … Cheer …” Well, most folks know the chorus line to the Notre Dame fight song — at least we know Will Fuller does — but another future NFL player who knows all the words is Chase Claypool.
Too bad Claypool and Fuller most likely won’t be sharing stories about their alma mater anytime soon.
What there is to like about Claypool is he’s a large target at 6’4” and 234 pounds, but he’s fast with a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Claypool also has a vertical jump of 40.5 inches, and the wide receiver is being compared to Miles Boykin, who as a rookie with the Baltimore Ravens this past season made 11 starts, but had just 13 receptions (22 targets) for 198 yards and three touchdowns.
Again, the draft profile of Claypool by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has the comparison to Boykin, but speaks a little more confident in Claypool’s potential for his rookie season:
"“The comparison to former teammate Miles Boykin is an easy one since both have elite size and explosiveness, but Claypool has a higher ceiling and is a little more pro-ready.”"
Claypool would have been so exciting to watch on the offense led by Deshaun Watson if the Houston Texans draft decision makers hadn’t decided to trade for Cooks. I guess with Claypool, imagine how Watson could have used that speed of Claypool and Fuller at the same time against the opposing defenses.
Most likely the Texans won’t draft a wide receiver 40th overall now, and it would be a shame if Claypool is still available when time arrives for the Texans to make a selection.
2. Tee Higgins, Clemson
The Houston Texans draft movers and shakers had the chance to replace DeAndre Hopkins with a player who attended the same college as the All-Pro wide receiver, and that player is Tee Higgins.
Higgins impressed greatly with his on-the-field ability this past season, as he totaled 59 receptions for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns. Higgins also had a yards per reception average of 19.8 for the ’19 campaign.
For his career at Clemson, Higgins — 6’4″ and 215 pounds — finished with 135 receptions for 2,448 yards (18.1 ypr.) and 27 touchdowns in a total of 37 games. For his overall efforts, Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Higgins ranked as his 10th best wide receiver in this very talented draft class. Also in draft profiles, Higgins has been compared to A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals.
If Higgins even gets near the greatness of what is A.J. Green, well, Bill O’Brien and the Houston Texans draft team will be kicking themselves for trading away one of their second-round picks for Brandin Cooks. Again, Cooks will most likely have some nice numbers with the Texans, but the potential isn’t there with the veteran wide receiver like it is with a player like Higgins.
1. Jalen Reagor, TCU
For this final player spotlight, the Houston Texans’ draft in the second round could have even had a home-state player in TCU’s Jalen Reagor. In his three seasons with the Horned Frogs, Reagor should have been one of the targets of their draft experts.
The 2020 NFL Draft could have seen the Texans select Reagor with most likely the 40th overall pick, and then they could have used the 57th pick to work on the edge pass rush or vice versa. Instead, the Texans will probably see Reagor — who just had his mobile Pro Day workout — join another team.
Reagor’s senior season included 12 games where the junior ended the year with 43 receptions for 611 yards, five touchdowns, all while averaging 14.2 yards per reception. His sophomore season of ’18 included 13 games with 72 receptions for 1,061 yards, 14.7 yards per reception and nine touchdowns.
Those two seasons, a 4.47 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, plus a 42-inch vertical jump just really draws the interest toward Reagor.
The Texans draft might not include any of the wide receivers mentioned anymore, but they cost themselves a valuable player in this draft. It will be interesting to see what direction the Texans travel when the second day of the 2020 NFL Draft takes place, but most likely it won’t be a wide receiver.