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Whenever you hear the words "Texans make a trade," most people cringe. However, this one isn't as cringe-worthy. They sent their second 2nd rounder (the 57th pick overall) for wide receiver Brandin Cooks. This is the same Cooks that is pictured above killing the Texans for the Patriots. Cooks has been traded three times and this was the first time he was traded for less than a 1st rounder. That is a sliver of sunshine in the cloud of darkness that has been the 2020 offseason.
The Comparison
Cooks isn't DeAndre Hopkins and shouldn't be compared to him because they're two different receivers. Yet, the comparisons will never end because they were moves the Texans' made in the same offseason. Cooks is more of what the Texans' have always hoped Will Fuller would be. But is having two of the same guy a good thing? If anything, I could see this opening up the field for the tight ends, Kenny Stills, and Randall Cobb.
Was it a good deal?
Personally, I think this was a good deal. They weren't going to be able to draft a player of this caliber at that position with the 57th overall pick. Their offseason grade is still very much a D- and this move turned it from an F. It's like when you make a 60 on a test, but the teacher grades on a 10 point curve so you end up with a 70. Barely passing. Cooks is a touchdown waiting to happen every time he touches the ball. He didn't explode with numbers in the Rams' offense last year because he was overshadowed by other playmakers and the ineptness of Jared Goff. Coming to the Texans and getting to play with Deshaun Watson will be a huge difference. Oh, and they get a 2022 4th rounder back as well. Not too bad
It helps them in the draft
I know you're thinking "Jermaine has finally losty his damn mind!" Hear me out: With the 40th pick, the eighth pick in the 2nd round, they can now concentrate on another position of need. Corner or safety, maybe edge rusher, would be ideal. Perhaps a playmaking linebacker or another offensive lineman will be available. This widens the scope of what they can do with that particular pick. Depth from the draft, if used properly, also add cheap labor. Cheap labor means they need to use the cap space to resign key guys. For a team with its balls in a vise grip because of the decisions of Bill O'Brien, options are a good thing.
Moving forward, this deal helps lessen the blow of the stupidity we've grown accustomed to seeing on Kirby. I still don't see what the end game is. There's still a ton of work to be done. Hopefully, this'll help Watson want to stay long term. Maybe Cooks can come in and be what Fuller was supposed to. Maybe it'll drive Fuller to be better than he's ever been in order to get the type of extension he's going to want. There's still way too many questions out there right now. Let's sit back and continue to watch the train-wreck and pray it gets better. The 2022 draft will be the first full compliment of draft picks this team will have. It could also be the offseason in which there’s a new GM and head coach. Again, let’s wait and see
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Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a tiebreaking two-run homer for his first major league hit, and the Chicago Cubs swept the Houston Astros with a 3-1 victory on Thursday.
Nico Hoerner had three hits and Mike Tauchman went 1 for 1 with three walks as Chicago won for the fourth time in five games. Hayden Wesneski (2-0) pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings for the win in relief of Javier Assad.
Houston has lost a season-high five straight and eight of nine overall. At 7-19, it is off to its worst 26-game start since it was 6-20 in 1969.
First-year manager Joe Espada was ejected by plate umpire Jansen Visconti in the top of ninth.
Crow-Armstrong was recalled from Triple-A Iowa when Cody Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with two fractured ribs. The 22-year-old outfielder, who is considered one of the team’s top prospects, made his big league debut last year and went 0 for 14 while appearing in 13 games.
He picked a perfect time for his first major league hit.
Houston had a 1-0 lead before Dansby Swanson scampered home on a fielder’s choice grounder for Miguel Amaya in the sixth.
Espada then replaced Rafael Montero with Bryan Abreu, who threw a wild pitch with Crow-Armstrong trying to sacrifice Amaya to second. Crow-Armstrong then drove his next pitch deep to right, delighting the crowd of 29,876 at Wrigley Field.