Next Man Mentality
Let's identify Deshaun Watson's new No.1 target
Aug 6, 2020, 5:18 pm
Composite image by Jack Brame.
Houston Texans head coach Bill O'Brien will be the butt of jokes until proven wrong. Walking away without a first-round pick in a trade sending All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was something of an enigma. However, in a way, perhaps Houston could come out the other side looking stronger.
With the 40th pick in place, O'Brien traded away their original 57th selection to the Los Angeles Rams for speedster Brandin Cooks. Add in the redefined Randall Cobb in the slot, perhaps their production gives Deshaun Watson more than just a single go-to weapon. However, in any high-risk scenario, best hope the cards fall your way.
Receptions yards and stud pass-catchers don't go hand in hand. Take a look at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys — both of whom featured a top 10 receiver and both missed the postseason. Still, having a player who can change the game with a rising pocket passer should fare well.
"Since we [traded] and got him, we definitely kind of built that chemistry," Watson said. "We've been talking ever since. Working out with him has been good. He's just a great person. His family is awesome, amazing. A guy that you just want to be around. He's seen so much football, been around so many people."
Cooks must break free as the team's new top target. Hopkins had been the definition of consistency at NRG Drive, finishing the last three seasons with a minimum of 96 catches for 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns.
Cooks, who will turn 27 this September, has been in the front line for concussion protocol, suffering a minimum of five in his six-year stint. Despite the concerns surrounding CTE and the impact of hits, the former Rams speedster has "zero" concerns about his history with the injury.
"For me, I'm not worried at all," Cooks said on Thursday. "If there is any hesitation or worry, I wouldn't be here right now. But at the end of the day, things happen in this game that you wish don't happen. But when you start to learn through this process, you really start to get an understanding on what this is. There's so much out there that people just don't understand that goes into it. I'm comfortable and I feel great and I look forward to continuing to just do what I have to do and go out there and give it my all."
When healthy, Cooks' 4.33 speed allows him to win in man coverage from a vertical standpoint. Starting his career with the New Orleans Saints, the former Oregon State product is one of four players to finish with four 1,000-yard seasons before their age-26 season.
Cooks' production diminished last season with 42 catches for 583 yards and two touchdowns. Should he find a natural balance between a constant casualty and supreme superstar, the Texans should remain confident in the passing game.
Outside of Cooks, Cobb could continue his comeback tour throughout the Lone Star State. The former Packer signed a cheap deal with the Dallas Cowboys last offseason and shined as the No.3 option, finishing with 55 catches for 828 yards and three touchdowns.
Cobb signed a three-year, $27 million deal this season with the Texans. Houston's inability to find a reliable slot option has been well identified via free agency and the draft. In 2018, DeAndre Carter and former fourth-rounder Keke Coutee combined for 33 catches, 416 yards and zero scores.
Houston is hoping for a full season with Will Fuller as their new top target. Since entering the league in 2016, the former first-rounder has yet to play more than 14 games and has yet to surpass 50 catches on the year. Flashing the potential of a sound vertical threat, Fuller's health could decide if he's viewed as a long-term option entering a contract year.
"He showed up and he's in great shape," O'Brien told reporters on July 31. "He looks good. He's been working out and working hard. He's excited about the season and he's excited about our offense. We're excited about having him for 16 games."
Health will be the main concern for the Texans' passing attack. Should three of the four top options remain on the field, they should combine to replace Hopkins' overall value. However, concussion concerns and lower-body injuries will always be on the minds of the Bulls on Parade faithful.
Houston won't know if trading away a top-five target could look like a win until their season opener on Sept.10. Perhaps Rhode Island rookie Isaiah Coulter could shock the world and become the next big-time target.
Should concussion concerns and lower body injuries minimally factor into the Texans' season, this could be Watson's top unit since entering the league in 2017. If not, there are more questions than answers as the two-time Pro Bowler gears up for contract negotiations.
"We're working hard," O'Brien said on Watson's potential extension. "We feel so strongly about him in this offense, in this organization. We want him here for a long time. We'd love to have Deshaun here."
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Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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