Jim Rogash/Getty Images
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
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
What the Juan Soto deal means for Houston Astros championship window
Dec 9, 2024, 4:01 pm
No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
The winner of the Clemson-Texas first-round game on Dec. 21 will play No. 10 Arizona State in the Jan. 1 Peach Bowl in Atlanta in the CFP quarterfinals.
For Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who is from Austin, Texas, the game will be a homecoming.
“We recruited him hard," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Sunday, calling Klubnik “a winner. He will do whatever it takes to put his team in position to be successful.”
Added Sarkisian: “When he made the decision to go to Clemson, honestly I wasn’t surprised. Both his parents went to (Texas) A&M.”
Klubnik applauded the announcement of the game at Texas for Clemson's seventh CFP appearance.
“For him to be going to his first playoff in Austin, Texas, where he grew up, you can’t make that up,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Pretty cool opportunity for him and his family to go compete against Texas there in Austin.”
Swinney said his only visit to the Texas stadium was to watch Klubnik play in a high school playoff game.
“We’ve never played Texas or played in that stadium,” Swinney said. “... It’s going to be amazing. It’s one of the best venues in college football.”
The Longhorns (11-2) were seeded No. 5 in the CFP following their 22-19 overtime loss to Georgia on Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta.
Sarkisian said his players were “really excited” to see Texas land the No. 5 seed and have the opportunity to play in the Longhorns' first game against Clemson.
Texas safety Andrew Mukuba is a Clemson transfer. Sarkisian said players already were calling the matchup the “Mukuba Bowl.”
Swinney said: “I love Mukuba. I just love his spirit and love his heart. He was a really neat kid.
“I certainly wish he had been able to finish here. He did everything that was asked of him at Clemson. Made a bunch of big plays.”
Clemson (10-3) beat SMU 34-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday night to land an automatic CFP berth. The Tigers are ranked No. 16 in the CFP but were given the 12th and lowest seed. As the fifth-highest ranked league champion, the Tigers do not get a bye and instead must visit Texas.
Arizona State (11-2) earned a bye by rolling over Iowa State 45-19 in the Big 12 championship game Saturday. The Sun Devils were led by running back Cam Skattebo's 170 rushing yards in their impressive win to cap their first season in the Big 12.
Peach Bowl president Gary Stokan noted the Sun Devils were picked to finish last in the Big 12.
“You proved them all wrong,” Stokan told Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham.
Arizona State players celebrated the announcement of their No. 4 seed.
Dillingham said he hopes the conference championship and berth in the CFP helps him recruit and continue to build the program.
“Hopefully this stage will help get our branding out there, and show people that we can be one of the newer brands in college football," Dillingham said. "Every 10-15 years a new brand shows up, and a new brand becomes a national brand.”No. 4 Texas will be competing for a return trip to Atlanta when it plays at home against No. 13 Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
The winner of the Clemson-Texas first-round game on Dec. 21 will play No. 10 Arizona State in the Jan. 1 Peach Bowl in Atlanta in the CFP quarterfinals.
For Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, who is from Austin, Texas, the game will be a homecoming.
“We recruited him hard," Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Sunday, calling Klubnik “a winner. He will do whatever it takes to put his team in position to be successful.”
Added Sarkisian: “When he made the decision to go to Clemson, honestly I wasn’t surprised. Both his parents went to (Texas) A&M.”
Klubnik applauded the announcement of the game at Texas for Clemson's seventh CFP appearance.
“For him to be going to his first playoff in Austin, Texas, where he grew up, you can’t make that up,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Pretty cool opportunity for him and his family to go compete against Texas there in Austin.”
Swinney said his only visit to the Texas stadium was to watch Klubnik play in a high school playoff game.
“We’ve never played Texas or played in that stadium,” Swinney said. “... It’s going to be amazing. It’s one of the best venues in college football.”
The Longhorns (11-2) were seeded No. 5 in the CFP following their 22-19 overtime loss to Georgia on Saturday night in the Southeastern Conference championship game in Atlanta.
Sarkisian said his players were “really excited” to see Texas land the No. 5 seed and have the opportunity to play in the Longhorns' first game against Clemson.
Texas safety Andrew Mukuba is a Clemson transfer. Sarkisian said players already were calling the matchup the “Mukuba Bowl.”
Swinney said: “I love Mukuba. I just love his spirit and love his heart. He was a really neat kid.
“I certainly wish he had been able to finish here. He did everything that was asked of him at Clemson. Made a bunch of big plays.”
Clemson (10-3) beat SMU 34-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game Saturday night to land an automatic CFP berth. The Tigers are ranked No. 16 in the CFP but were given the 12th and lowest seed. As the fifth-highest ranked league champion, the Tigers do not get a bye and instead must visit Texas.
Arizona State (11-2) earned a bye by rolling over Iowa State 45-19 in the Big 12 championship game Saturday. The Sun Devils were led by running back Cam Skattebo's 170 rushing yards in their impressive win to cap their first season in the Big 12.
Peach Bowl president Gary Stokan noted the Sun Devils were picked to finish last in the Big 12.
“You proved them all wrong,” Stokan told Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham.
Arizona State players celebrated the announcement of their No. 4 seed.
Dillingham said he hopes the conference championship and berth in the CFP helps him recruit and continue to build the program.
“Hopefully this stage will help get our branding out there, and show people that we can be one of the newer brands in college football," Dillingham said. "Every 10-15 years a new brand shows up, and a new brand becomes a national brand.”