The Dallas Cowboys face a litany of decisions this offseason as NFL rumors swirl that the franchise could move on from several key players. As new head coach Brian Schottenheimer molds his team, a key wide receiver could be moving on in NFL free agency.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell outlined a list of the top candidates to change teams heading into the NFL offseason. Cowboys wideout Brandin Cooks is listed among the players who could be on the move.
“At this point, he’s probably a third wideout a team is relying on to win versus man coverage with a little bit of wriggle,” Barnwell detailed in a February 17, 2025, article titled, “2025 NFL offseason: 17 WRs available in free agency or trades.” “Cooks ranked last among all wide receivers in yards per route run versus zone coverage in 2024.”
“While Cooks is still only 31 years old, the well-traveled veteran entered the league at age 20, so there’s more tread on his tires than for other players at the same age. He made $8 million with the Cowboys last season, but as an unrestricted free agent, he’s probably looking at something closer to $3 million on a one-year deal. For a player who has dealt with concussions and has made $116 million during his career, that might not make it worth his while to return.”
Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks Is Likely Headed for a More Affordable Deal Than His Previous 2-Year, $39.7 Million Contract
Cooks just completed a two-year, $39.7 million contract with the Cowboys. The veteran receiver is unlikely to land a lucrative deal in NFL free agency, meaning Dallas could look to re-sign Cooks on a much more affordable contract.
Spotrac projects Cooks’ market value to be a one-year, $5 million contract, much less than his previous deal. It is reasonable to think Dallas may be more than willing to re-sign Cooks on this kind of contract.
Yet, re-signing Cooks also takes away opportunities from younger receivers and potential rookies Dallas selects in the 2025 NFL draft.
Cowboys Playmaker Brandin Cooks Is Coming Off the Worst Statistical Season of His NFL Career
Cooks is coming off the worst statistical season of his NFL career. The 2024 season proved to be an unfortunate combination of Cooks battling injuries while Dak Prescott missed the majority of the campaign with a hamstring injury. Cooks posted just 26 receptions for 259 yards and 3 touchdowns in 10 appearances during the 2024 season.
“Cooks’ numbers have fallen precipitously over the past five years,” Barnwell added. “The 2014 first-round pick averaged 2.3 yards per route run during the 2020 season with the Texans. Since then, his route efficiency has dropped in each consecutive season: He was at 2.1 in 2021, 1.7 in 2022, 1.3 in 2023, and all the way down to 0.9 this past season with the Cowboys, when he had 259 yards across 10 games. His 2024 mark ranked 100th out of 114 wide receivers who ran 200 routes or more, down from 13th in 2020.
“It’s fair to look toward the absence of Dak Prescott as a potential factor for Cooks’ struggles last season, but he was also declining amid healthy, productive seasons from Prescott in 2022 and 2023.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Cowboys May Cut Ties With $39 Million NFL Playmaker appeared first on Heavy Sports.