After a disappointing 2019 season, the Los Angeles Rams are moving on from their most expensive wide receiver. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, they’re trading Brandin Cooks to the Texans in exchange for a second-round pick.
Los Angeles is also sending Houston a future fourth-round pick.
Cooks was the Rams’ prized acquisition before the 2018 NFL Draft, sending the Patriots a first-round pick for the wide receiver. His highlights were played in the Rams’ war room when the Patriots went on the clock at No. 23 overall, the pick Los Angeles traded to New England for Cooks.
Unfortunately, last season was an extremely disappointing one for Cooks as he suffered two concussions and was limited to only 42 catches for 583 yards and two touchdowns. He was overshadowed by Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp, who both eclipsed 1,100 yards receiving in 2019.
Cooks simply wasn’t targeted very often last season (72 times) after seeing 117 passes come his way in 2018. The Rams’ deep-passing game was almost non-existent because the offensive line struggled to give Jared Goff time, which led to a drop-off in Cooks’ production.
That doesn’t mean he can’t still be a top receiver for someone, though. He had at least 1,000 yards receiving in each of the four previous seasons from 2015-2018, including a career-high 1,204 with the Rams two seasons ago.
