Texans find contract value in Brandin Cooks trade with the Rams

The Los Angeles Rams will keep $21.8 million of dead cap space in the trade of Brandin Cooks to the Houston Texans.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA Today

The Houston Texans continue to make trades that keep them at the forefront of the NFL and this time it was the acquisition of wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the Los Angeles Rams. The Texans add another weapon for quarterback Deshaun Watson by sending their second-round selection (57th overall) to the Rams for Cooks and a 2022 4th round selection. 

The Rams dumped Cooks for a draft pick but they are still on the hook for the guaranteed money they have paid out to his after signing him to an extension before the 2018 season. Signed to a 5-year 81-million dollar contract, Cooks was guaranteed $50.459 million. 

The Rams have paid all of Cooks' guarantees, leaving the Texans with a contract for Cooks with no guaranteed money. 

With the trade, the Rams will have $21.8 million of dead cap space, they have also paid him a $4 million roster bonus that was due on the third day of the league year.

The Texans are on the hook for $8 million base salary in 2020 with no guaranteed money due. Cooks has no guaranteed money left in the final three years of his contract leaving the Texans in control of his future with the team. 

Cooks has offseason roster bonuses in 2022 and 2023 on the third day of each league year.

Originally drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the 2014 NFL Draft in the first round with the 20th overall selection out of Oregon State. 

For his career, Cooks has played in 88 games catching 402 passes for 5,730 yards and 34 touchdowns while averaging 14.3 yards a reception. He also had four straight seasons of 1,000-yards receiving seasons from 2015-2018. 

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