Cowboys masterfully rework Brandin Cooks' contract following trade
The Dallas Cowboys took fans by surprise by trading for wide receiver Brandin Cooks last week. With just two Day 3 draft picks, they landed a legitimate weapon to complement rising star CeeDee Lamb. Naturally, the transaction has earned them a big round of applause from fans and media alike. But they made it look […]
The Dallas Cowboys took fans by surprise by trading for wide receiver Brandin Cooks last week. With just two Day 3 draft picks, they landed a legitimate weapon to complement rising star CeeDee Lamb.
Naturally, the transaction has earned them a big round of applause from fans and media alike. But they made it look even better by restructuring Cooks' contract and making it significantly friendlier for the team.
Todd Archer from ESPN reported on the details of the pass catcher's new deal. Following the adjustments, Cooks will count just $6 million toward the Cowboys' cap space.
In essence, the Cowboys took $8 million from Cooks' $12 million guaranteed salary and turned it into a signing bonus. This doesn't change what the receiver will make in 2023 but it does change how it's laid out in the books.
With the transaction, the Cowboys lower the receiver's cap hit for this year while raising it for 2024. However, the team also added two voidable years to the contract to spread out the cap hit even more.
The Cowboys also keep a potential out for 2024 as they can cut Cooks then and save $4 million in cap space. If things work out for both parties, the voidable years leave room for an easy contract extension.
Overall, the Cowboys did a great job of landing Cooks for little draft capital and they're making the money side of things work significantly well. This transaction allows the team to keep building on what has already been a very offseason.
