The Green Bay Packers need a veteran wide receiver
The Green Bay Packers will head into the 2023 season with one of the best up-and-coming wide receiver tandems in the NFL. Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson will be scoring threats in the NFC North for years. However, the Packers are moving on from several veteran pass catchers this offseason as they hand the offense over to Jordan Love. One veteran the Packers have a history of interest in was traded Sunday morning in conference.
According to Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network, the Texans have sent wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2023 and a sixth-round selection in 2024.
Sources: The #Texans are trading WR Brandin Cooks to the #Cowboys for a 5th this year and 6th next year. A big-play threat for Dallas.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 19, 2023
Cooks was one of the top targets named as a wide receiver the Packers attempted to trade for last season. The Packers were in trade talks with the Texans in late October, prior to the NFL trade deadline. The Texans wanted a high price for Cooks last offseason (a second-round pick), and the Texans found no buyers for the frustrated former first-round pick during the season. This offseason, the Texans have accepted a fifth and sixth-round pick for Cooks, much lower than what the Packers would have likely paid last fall.
Part of the problem for the Packers in landing Cooks would have been his contract. Part of the trade deal between the Cowboys and Texans includes a prior restructure deal, so the Cowboys don’t have to take on Cooks’ $18 million salary completely. According to Adam Schefter, the Cowboys will only pay Cooks $12 million while the Texans eat $6 million for 2023.
Wide receiver Brandin Cooks restructured his contract Saturday so that Houston will pay $6 million of his salary this season and the Cowboys now will pay the remaining $12 million, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 19, 2023
The Green Bay Packers have lost depth this offseason
The Packers, who have lost Allen Lazard and Robert Tonyan, and appear ready to move on from Randall Cobb, will need to add more pass catchers to the roster this offseason. Cooks could have been a helpful and expensive target for Love this season. According to Our Lads, the Packers starting wide receivers are Watson, Doubs, and Samori Toure–all entering their second year in the NFL.
