Texans Time to Trade Brandin Cooks: Cowboys vs. Patriots Bidding War?

Standout wideout Brandin Cooks has been a good soldier over the last couple of years while toiling for the woeful Houston Texans. 

But now, last time we checked, he is looking for a way out. 

Can the New England Patriots be that "way'' so they can bring the highly productive receiver back to Bill Belichick's team?

Or can the Texans get back on that phone that was so hot at the NFL trade deadline and get the Dallas Cowboys excited again?

How about a bidding war between the two?

Cooks is a $25 million (on the cap) APY guy, and if he's dealt, maybe a new deal will be in order. Meanwhile, we don't want to dismiss the notion of new coach DeMeco Ryans getting with one of this team's locker room leaders and persuading him to stay.

But given where the Texans program is right now ... do they need a $25 million wideout?

We know New England needs a talent boost at the position, where the existing guys give QB Mac Jones very little help. And also in New England, Bill O’Brien is the new coordinator. He once oversaw the trade that brought Cooks to Houston. We bet he gets it.

Oh, speaking of old connections: There is also the idea of the Patriots and to DeAndre Hopkins - and that trade with the Cardinals would represent a huge upgrade in New England. But somebody might wish to ask Hopkins - another former Texans standout - if he's interested in working for O'Brien again.

And Dallas? Cooks' contract situation at the deadline was complicated. And Houston wanted a second-round pick - which the still-receiver-needy Cowboys at the time were pretty much willing to give. An offseason contract, re-done, would be easier to make work. 

The trade price? Cooks is coming off a mediocre year (57 passes for 699 yards and three touchdowns, though the mediocrity wasn't his fault) he turns 30 in September. But a second-round pick almost worked in October.

Maybe - of the two parties don't want to work in Houston - Cooks being traded can work again.

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