NFLN: Texans Remove Brandin Cooks as Captain amid WR's Frustration with Lack of Trade

Brandin Cooks will return for the Houston Texans on Sunday, but the team has removed his captaincy heading into Week 10, per Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

The veteran receiver was disappointed he wasn't traded ahead of last week's deadline, leading to him sitting out in Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles due to personal reasons. On Thursday, he said he was hoping to go to a contender.

"For me personally, I just at the end of the day want to win and compete now," Cooks said, per DJ Bien-Aime of ESPN. "That's been my thought process."

The 1-6-1 Texans are set to face the New York Giants on Sunday.

Cooks is off to a slow start individually this season, totaling 32 catches for 354 yards and one score through seven games. His 50.6 yards per game are his second-worst in his career, and his 11.1 yards per catch is his lowest since his rookie year in 2014.

The 29-year-old has been productive throughout his career, reaching at least 1,000 yards in six seasons with four different teams.

Last season, Cooks tallied 90 catches for 1,037 yards and six scores, leading to a two-year extension with Houston this offseason worth $39.6 million.

Unfortunately, the contract might have limited the trade market.

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported, teams stayed away from Cooks due to his $18 million guaranteed salary for 2023.

It resulted in Cooks staying with the Texans, although his role with the team is now in question after his recent comments.

Even if he helps the squad on the field, it's hard to be a leader when you don't want to be there. Cooks will no longer serve as the captain as the Texans look for other players to step up in the locker room.