HOUSTON — veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks’ unresolved dispute with the team was likely going to end as soon as Leki Fotu Jersey Friday, according to .Smith expre sed confidence that Cooks will be back at NRG Stadium and return to the team after mi sing the for personal reasons and two days of practice after expre sing his displeasure on social media and privately that he wasn’t traded at the NFL deadline.UPDATE: Cooks is back at NRG Stadium on Friday, per a league sourceAlthough there is optimism that a compromise can be reached, this remains an i sue going forward for the team and Cooks to work out, according to league sources.”Brandin will be back in the building tomorrow, on the team,” Smith said late Thursday night.Smith clarified that he does expect Cooks to rejoin the team going forward.”He’s going to be in the building tomorrow,” Smith said. “Everybody that’s in the building is on the football team. He’ll be back on the team ready to go.”Smith indicated it was his decision to not have Cooks play in the game, emphasizing that he had been absent from the team and didn’t feel he was in the right space to play in the game. Cooks was replaced as an offensive team captain for the coin to s by offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.”I told you last week he was excused for personal reasons,” Smith said. “Part of the personal reasons was some of the things that was going on. I made a coach’s decision. I didn’t think he was ready to play. You don’t practice during the week I don’t think you’re ready to play in the game.”Cooks expre sed displeasure on social media Tuesday when the NFL trade deadline expired with no deal reached despite the Texans holding discu sions and drawing inquiries from multiple teams, including the Dallas Cowboys late in the proce s.Cooks, 29, showed his frustration with a social media post as the deadline came and pa sed with no deal. Perhaps a trade can be revisited during the offseason. To trade Cooks, the Texans would likely have had to take on some of his 2023 salary to get the deal done, or Cooks would have had to restructure his contract.”Dont take a mans kindne s for granted,” Cooks wrote Tuesday on his verified Twitter account.” Covered for the lies for too long those days are done. Cro sed the line with playing with my career.”On Thursday morning, Cooks, who is deeply religious, wrote: “He will make my paths straight. Trust trust trust him.”Ultimately, no deal could be worked out as it was an extremely complicated situation due to financial reasons with Cooks’ $18 million guaranteed base salary in 2023 along with the Texans’ high asking price in terms of draft capital. The Texans, ideally, wanted a second-round draft pick and other compensation in exchange for Cooks, per league sources.Cooks drew trade inquiries and interest from Isaiah Simmons T Shirts several teams, including the Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and Cowboys, according to league sources.Cooks’ teammates indicated they will welcome him back whenever he’s ready to return.”Absolutely, exactly, that’s our teammate, that’s my brother,” Tunsil said. “I’m always going to love Brandin Cooks. So, open arms all day. That’s my guy.”Cooks, who signed a two-year, $39.6 million contract extension in April that includes $36 million guaranteed, is with the 1-6-1 Texans for at least the remainder of the season.This has become an increasingly awkward situation as Cooks liked several social media posts recently Arizona Cardinals T Shirts involving him and trade speculation. Ideally, Cooks wants to play for a contending team and have a major role. The Texans made a good-faith effort to try to trade him, but it didn’t work out.”We support him no matter what,” offensive guard A.J. Cann said. “People forget in this game that we’re human, that we have personal i sues. We’re going to hold it down for him. We’ll be happy to welcome him back with open arms this week.”As far as Cooks’ captain status, Smith addre sed that, too.”You know what guys, I think we’ve talked enough about that,” Smith said. “I told you he’ll be back in the building tomorrow. As far as captain, we have two offensive captains each game. Today, (Laremy Tunsil) was our captain. I thought he represented the team well.”With Cooks and wide receiver Nico Collins (groin) sidelined, wide receiver Chris Moore started and caught four pa ses for 43 yards and one touchdown. Phillip Dorsett caught three pa ses for 69 yards.”When my opportunity is called, I try to make the best plays I can,” Moore said.As for Cooks’ absence, Moore said it’s part of the game.”That’s the busine s of the NFL,” he said. “You understand what’s going on. The only thing we can do as a receiver room, is do our best to help our team.”To trade Cooks, the Texans would likely have had to take on some of his 2023 salary to get the deal done, or Cooks would have had to restructure his contract.How the Texans proceed with Cooks, who has been traded previously three times, going forward will be interesting.Scroll to ContinueCooks leads the Texans with 32 receptions for 354 yards and one touchdown on 53 targets one year after catching 90 pa ses for 1,037 yards and six touchdowns as he was targeted 134 times.The Texans’ offense has changed considerably with the emergence of rookie running back Dameon Pierce, an NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate, and the emphasis of new offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton on a run-first, smash-mouth approach.”If theres somebody were going to trade, and we trade Arizona Cardinals Home Office them, well talk about it them,” Smith said hours before the deadline. “Brandin wasnt out there today. He was excused for personal reasons.”Brandin has a big role for us. Hes one of the best players on the team. Kind of simple as that. Theres a reason why hes on the team. We like him here.Acquired in a trade from the Rams for a second-round draft pick, Cooks caught 81 pa ses for 1,150 yards and six touchdowns two seasons ago.His role has reduced this season, though.One way to potentially improve Cooks’ feeling about remaining in Houston would be to get him the football more frequently.This what we are going try to do,” Smith said. “Youre right when you talk about production. We need production from our running game. That’ll help the pa sing game.”Smith said he spoke with Cooks on Tuesday.”Talked to Brandin today,” he said. “You know, guys, when I say a guys excused for personal reasons, I never talk about something personal we were talking about behind closed doors. Like all players, have a conversation with most guys each day. Brandin is no different.Smith had little interest in commenting on the Cooks situation, especially since it wasn’t resolved yet officially with no trade unfolding.No, I dont,” Smith said. “You know that I cant and wouldnt answer that question. The trade deadline is coming, correct? So, all teams are talking right now. When theres something, some information we think you Demetrius Harris Jersey need to get, well get it to you.