The Houston Texans are rebooting the operation again, firing coach Lovie Smith after just one season. Wide receiver Brandin Cooks wants no part of the latest reconstruction.
"I'm not going into this offseason thinking I want to be a part of a rebuild," Cooks said Monday via ESPN.
Cooks wanted out of Houston ahead of the trade deadline, but those discussions fizzled. He took a brief leave of absence from the club after the trade deadline passed and was stripped of his captaincy.
Cooks led the Texans with 699 receiving yards and three TDs in 13 games in 2022, and he's still looking for a way out of Houston.
"I'm not looking at it as far as being a part of a rebuild, however that looks," Cooks said. "That's why I trust my camp and my representation to be able to get a map from here to there and to see what that looks like to be a part of something that has a trusted plan."
Cooks signed a two-year extension last offseason that included $18 million in guaranteed salary in 2023, which was the biggest impediment to him not being traded at the deadline. However, with the dearth of receivers set to hit the open market in March, perhaps a WR-needy club might find that figure more palatable in the spring. Cooks could also agree to restructure his deal, or the Texans could eat some money to facilitate a trade.
