Cowboys: Brandin Cooks says he hasn't lost anything in the speed department
In past years, this never would have happened. However, the Dallas Cowboys traded for wide receiver Brandin Cooks just five days after doing the same for cornerback Stephon Gilmore, talk about a change in approach for Dallas. The addition of Cooks took care of a major need for the Cowboys in the NFL Draft. What […]
In past years, this never would have happened. However, the Dallas Cowboys traded for wide receiver Brandin Cooks just five days after doing the same for cornerback Stephon Gilmore, talk about a change in approach for Dallas.
The addition of Cooks took care of a major need for the Cowboys in the NFL Draft. What it also did was allow the Cowboys to not have to take another one early, which they didn't by selecting Jalen Brooks out of South Carolina in the seventh round.
Rookie minicamp is right around the corner so the juices are flowing when it comes to what are the Cowboys going to look like in 2023 and whether they can remain a playoff team. Cooks, unless something unforeseen happens, will be a huge part of what the Cowboys do offensively, and he recently spoke on what it is he brings to the table.
"Being dynamic," Cooks said. "Being able to make plays no matter which way. Deep, short, intermediate, it really don't matter. Just coming in and being dynamic."
Cooks has been all of that and more during his NFL career.
His size at 5'10" and 183 pounds screams slot receiver. Don't get it confused, Cooks can be a menace in the slot with 1,486 snaps logged there in his career, but he's tallied 3,553 as an outside threat. The Cowboys will use Cooks more on the outside and let CeeDee Lamb dominate more in the slot, but Cooks having the ability to slide inside is extremely beneficial.
Cooks having the positional flexibility he has is big, but he also adds another key element, speed. He can attack defenses horizontally with crossing and slant routes or vertically down the field, and the speed at which he does it makes Cooks a matchup nightmare.
One reporter asked Cooks if he was still a 4.3 guy, and his answer came with hesitation.
'No question, no question" said Cooks.
The former first-round pick was then asked about losing a step at his age, which he shot down quickly as well.
"No, I take care of my body," Cooks said. "That's what I invest in, my body."
The Cowboys got significantly better offensively with the addition of Cooks and his skill set. If he's used correctly, scoreboards around the NFL are going to explode when the Cowboys come to town.
