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Texas receiver Brandin Cooks has 18 million reasons to get over not being traded.
With Cooks missing a few practice sessions and not playing in tonight’s game against the Eagles because he was obviously unhappy with the fact that he wasn’t traded, Cooks could be in danger of losing the very thing that made a trade impossible – his fully- Guaranteed 2023 base salary of $18 million.
According to its contract, of which PFT received a copy, if Cooks binds a “Standard” user to the specific terms of the contract, the guaranteed salary will become “VOID” for 2023.
A default occurs (among other things) if the player “does not train with or play for the club” for reasons other than a football-related injury or illness, without the “prior written consent” of manager Lovie Smith or GM Nick Caserio.
If, as it appears, Cooks checked out this week because he wasn’t traded, the Texans could take his 2023 guarantee off the books — and then cut him.
Cooks didn’t trade because nobody wanted to inherit that salary. Now, based on Cook’s reaction, there may not be a salary to inherit.