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Here's an unexpected reunion for you. The New Orleans Saints are bringing back wide receiver Brandin Cooks, their first-round pick from way back when, as first reported by NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill and confirmed by NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. The Times-Picayune's Matthew Paras adds that this is a two-year deal, which NFL insider Josina Anderson clarifies is valued at $13 million. The Saints traded up to pick him at No. 20 overall out of Oregon State back in 2014.
Cooks, 31, has been an impressive deep threat throughout his career but has seen his role minimized in recent years. After averaging a career-high 5.6 receptions per game in 2021, he's gone down to 4.4, 3.4, and just 2.6 last year (totaling 26 catches for 259 yards in 10 games). So long as he hasn't lost a step, he figures to get some targets on shot plays in Kellen Moore's offense. Cooks most recently played for the Dallas Cowboys but just missed Moore back in 2023; Moore left to become the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator in the same offseason Cooks came to Dallas.
Injuries have been an issue for Cooks throughout his career, specifically concussions. But the Saints wouldn't have signed him if they weren't comfortable with that. We'll see just what kind of role they have in mind for the 11-year pro. On paper, Cooks is a very similar wideout to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed as guys who all weigh in at 6-foot-0 or shorter and less than 190 pounds. But with Olave and Shaheed both coming off serious injuries of their own, if nothing else this is a good move for the state of the depth chart.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints sign Cowboys free agent, former first round pick Brandin Cooks
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Cooks, 31, has been an impressive deep threat throughout his career but has seen his role minimized in recent years. After averaging a career-high 5.6 receptions per game in 2021, he's gone down to 4.4, 3.4, and just 2.6 last year (totaling 26 catches for 259 yards in 10 games). So long as he hasn't lost a step, he figures to get some targets on shot plays in Kellen Moore's offense. Cooks most recently played for the Dallas Cowboys but just missed Moore back in 2023; Moore left to become the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator in the same offseason Cooks came to Dallas.
Injuries have been an issue for Cooks throughout his career, specifically concussions. But the Saints wouldn't have signed him if they weren't comfortable with that. We'll see just what kind of role they have in mind for the 11-year pro. On paper, Cooks is a very similar wideout to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed as guys who all weigh in at 6-foot-0 or shorter and less than 190 pounds. But with Olave and Shaheed both coming off serious injuries of their own, if nothing else this is a good move for the state of the depth chart.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Saints sign Cowboys free agent, former first round pick Brandin Cooks
Continue reading...
