NFL analyst explains how Brandin Cooks will help improve Cowboys offense, Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys‘ biggest move to improve the offense so far this offseason came with the signing of wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the Houston Texans.

On The Mina Kimes Show this week, the ESPN analyst broke down exactly what Cooks’ addition means for the Cowboys offense, and for quarterback Dak Prescott.

“I love the fit of the player with this team,” Kimes said. “I argued a lot last year that this Dallas Cowboys offense did not have enough separation. This was, to me, part of a big reason why Dak Prescott threw so many interceptions… highest tight-window throw rate in the NFL… Brandin Cooks isn’t what he was four years ago but he had as many 30-yard catches last year in 13 games as the entire Cowboys roster.”

Dak had the highest tight window throw rate in the NFL last year. The Cowboys' trade for Brandin Cooks addresses one of Dallas' biggest issues: the lack of separation.

Both @fieldyates and I are fans of Dallas' offseason–discussed on this week's pod: https://t.co/25po4Tj9rF pic.twitter.com/uo3UnIC8mz

— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) March 22, 2023

“What he brings to this offense is speed, separation,” Kimes continued. “CeeDee (Lamb) gets to play in the slot full time… it creates space for him. (Michael) Gallup slides back into that No. 3 role where he thrived with Amari Cooper… everything is in its right place.”

Cooks finished the 2022 season with 699 receiving yards in 13 games played. He averaged 12.3 ypc and added three touchdowns. He comes into the offense during a transition period with Mike McCarthy taking over playcalling for the first time in Dallas.

Cowboys restructure Cooks contract

The Dallas Cowboys could be preparing to make even further waves this week. Front office personnel worked out another contract restructure, this time for Cooks. The trade with the Houston Texans for Cooks stipulated that his former team would pick up $6 million of his $18 million contract for 2023.

Now, Dallas is converting $8 million of the remaining $12 million into a signing bonus. The leftover $4 million will be Cooks’ 2023 salary and he will count $6 million against the cap, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer. They saved $6 million in cap space with the move.

On top of the $12 million the Cowboys took on for Cooks, they also traded a 2023 fifth-round pick and a 2024 sixth-round pick. That leaves them with just one fifth-round pick this year after trading another in the Stephon Gilmore deal.

Dallas has already restructured the contracts of the players with the biggest 2023 cap hits, clearing up to $55 million even before the Cooks restructure. They cleared $20 million on Dak Prescott, $8.8 million on Zack Martin, $9.6 million on Tyron Smith, $8.89 million on DeMarcus Lawrence and $7 million on Michael Gallup.

The cap space the Cowboys have cleared could go toward a possible free-agent pickup or even another trade. Dan Quinn’s defense could use another run-stopper or a linebacker.