The Dallas Cowboys have a new offensive outlook in 2025, and its one that Brandin Cooks might not be a part of.
The Dallas Cowboys under new head coach and offensive play-caller Brian Schottenheimer will look ot put more of an emphisis on the run game in 2025.
With the Cowboys one of the worst in the NFL at running the football, it makes sense that under Schottenheimer, who has skins on the wall, making offense’s potent rushing the football, tries to help out Dak Prescott.
Of course, Dak still needs weapons to throw to, and aside from CeeDee Lamb last season, no one else really came with him.
Jalen Tolbert (610 yards, seven touchdowns), Jake Ferguson (494 yards), and KaVontae Turpin (420 yards, two touchdowns) were the pick of the bunch. But then there’s Brandin Cooks.
The veteran endured a horror year due in part to injury. He only managed 10 games after dealing with a knee infection. Now a free agent, ESPN thinks that The Archer’s time in Dallas is up.
“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,” ESPN writes. “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.”
Adds our own Mike Fisher: “There is value there as a locker-room leader. But late in the year, defensive backs just sat on him – in part because Cooper Rush was the QB, of course … but also because Cooks’ scary threat as a deep-ball guy is fading.
“The door isn’t closed. But … Not prioritizing Cooks is a relatively easy call.”
In truth, this is low-hanging fruit, and while Cooks returning on the lowest salary (Spotrac.com has a $5 million APY market value) could tempt Dallas, it might be time to let Tolbert and the like take another step up.
Yes, Lamb needs a running mate, whether that comes via free agency or the draft, but Dallas’ No. 2 receiver can’t be Cooks. His leadership and what he’s done for the younger receivers on the roster are priceless, but after a down year, the time might be coming to part ways.
It’s been a couple of seasons of decent output both on and off the field, but now is the time for the Cowboys and Cooks to part ways and let the younger receivers try their hand at making a splash in Schotty’s offense.
