Brandin Cooks offers explanation for issues with Texans

Sep 19, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks (13) runs the ball for a first down against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Brandin Cooks has returned to practice for the Houston Texans, but he is clearly still unhappy that the team did not trade him before last week’s deadline.

The veteran wide receiver declined to go into too much detail Thursday about what had prompted both a cryptic tweet and his absence from practice, but made it clear that the lack of winning was a major problem.

“For me personally, I just at the end of the day want to win and compete now,” Cooks said, via Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. “That’s been my thought process.”

Cooks did not direct his frustration at anyone in particular, but he did hint at significant discord with general manager Nick Caserio over the direction of the franchise.

“I think we were on the same page at a point in the offseason and in training camp,” Cooks said of Caserio. “But obviously a lot of things change, right? I don’t know everything that goes through his head and I think he’s trying to build a team, and he has a job to do and however that looks, he’s got believe that’s right.”

Based on these comments, it certainly sounds like Cooks thought the Texans were on a faster path to being more competitive. Instead, they are just 1-6-1, and Cooks perhaps believed Caserio would trade him if it became clear the team was going nowhere. Whatever the case, the tweet he sent last week certainly implies that he feels misled by the organization.

Cooks will remain with the Texans for at least the remainder of the season. The team does appear to have been willing to trade him, but the reported asking price was hugely prohibitive for any interested teams.