The Dallas Cowboys have been one of the NFL's more active teams as Week 4 of free agency begins. Although America's Team hasn't been signing the biggest free-agent names, the Cowboys have done a good job at rounding out their roster with solid veteran names, leaving time to reveal what the rest of the offseason has in store.
Having said that, the Cowboys have also lost some familiar faces despite their early free agency activity. Even though some of those departing names will find some semblance of success amid their new surroundings, others won't be as lucky.
Former Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks Will Fail With Saints
Brandin Cooks is one of several Cowboys free agents who left the Lone Star State this offseason. The former Pro Bowl wideout signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the New Orleans Saints on March 21, attempting to prove that he still has something left in the tank at the stage of his NFL career.
The move is a reunion for Cooks, who was drafted 20th overall by the Saints in 2014 before spending the first three NFL seasons with the franchise. As heartwarming as a reunion can be, a return to New Orleans likely won't be enough to stop the veteran WR from disappointing his new employer.
After being one of the league's most underrated receivers (six 1,000-yard seasons from 2015 to 2021), Cooks has finally stopped looking like the player he once was. A combination of injuries and age have caused his production to drop off a cliff, proven by his failure to hit the 700-yard mark in each of the last three campaigns.
Injuries limited Cooks to 10 appearances with the Cowboys in 2024. Unfortunately, the ex-Oregon State Beaver failed to make the most of his few opportunities, averaging a career-low 10.0 yards per reception and 25.9 yards per game. If that wasn't bad enough, his Pro Football Focus grades for receiving (63.3) and overall offense (63.2) were the worst efforts of his 11-year career.
Based on the last few seasons, it's hard to imagine Cooks deviating from a similar performance despite his fresh start. He'll have to compete with the likes of Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and Bub Means for targets, and that'll be easier said than done if the injury-prone veteran can't remain healthy.
Unless he completely turns back the clock and plays the majority of games, Cooks will struggle to live up to his $6.5 million annual value. He clearly isn't the player he once was, making the Saints' decision to overpay him even more confusing.
There's a good chance that the Cowboys will look smart for not having re-signed him when all is said and done. Even if they still need WR depth, they're better off not having anchored themselves to a declining $13 million playmaker for the next two seasons.