Texans Fans in Disbelief That DeAndre Hopkins Was Replaced With Brandin Cooks

Cooks makes more money than Hopkins, who was allegedly seeking a raise.

April 10, 2020

Brandin Cooks #12 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrates his touchdown.

Image via Getty/Harry How

Getty

Last month, the Houston Texans traded DeAndre Hopkins and a fourth-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for running back David Johnson, a 2020 second-round pick and a fourth-rounder in 2021. The lopsided deal was widely panned by Texans fans and the NFL community who believed Houston gave up way too much for a wide receiver of Hopkins’ caliber.

Texans head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien explained that the move was “in the best interest of our team,” and necessary since Hopkins wanted "a raise." However, some suspect that the trade was motivated by underlying tension between O’Brien and Hopkins that Michael Irvin detailed in an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up.

Given the growing possibility of the Texans entering the 2020 season without a bonafide No. 1 wideout, Houston have worked out a deal with the Los Angeles Rams for wide receiver Brandin Cooks in exchange for a second-round pick, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.

The trade has left Texans fans wondering how the team could part with arguably the best receiver in the league, only to acquire Cooks, who makes more money than Hopkins.