Brandin Cooks - Pro Football Rumors

East Notes: Jets, Dolphins, Patriots, Eagles

March 15th, 2017 at 7:22pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Contrary to previous reports, the Jets were “not close” to offering linebacker Dont’a Hightower $12MM annually, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of SNY. However, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter link) New York had an offer of $11MM per year, with $22MM in guarantees, on the table, but withdrew that proposal after Hightower left without signing. Hightower ultimately re-signed with New England for four years, $43.5MM, and $19MM guaranteed.

Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:

Although defensive tackle Dontari Poe visited with the Dolphins, Miami seems unlikely to sign him unless it’s at an extremely team-friendly rate, opines Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Given that Miami already has a high percentage of cap space tied up in fellow defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the club probably won’t land Poe unless he’s willing to accept a deal in the one-year, $4MM range. Alternatively, the Fins could convince Poe to ink a two-year pact that contains a low cap charge for the 2017 campaign, per Salguero.
New Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks denies he requested to be traded away from the Saints, tweets Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune. According to published reports, Cooks is correct, as he never vocally expressed the need to leave New Orleans, at least to the media. Cooks did express frustration with his role in the Saints’ offense last year, saying “closed mouths don’t get fed,” but that’s far from asking to be traded.
Cornerback Marcus Cromartie visited with the has generated interest from the Jets, Eagles, and Seahawks according to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, who notes the 49ers are also “keeping an eye” on the three-year pro. Cromartie, 26, hit the open market last week after San Francisco declined to offer him a restricted free agent tender. He’s appeared in 21 games during his three-year NFL tenure, mostly acting as a special teams player during that time. The Lions are also intrigued by Cromartie, and hosted him for a visit over the weekend.
Before releasing quarterback Chase Daniel earlier this week, the Eagles restructured his offset language in order to be able to recoup more money, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. While Caplan doesn’t detail how exactly Philadelphia restructured Daniels’ deal, the ESPN scribe does note Daniel will still be able to earn more than the $5MM that was fully guaranteed under his Eagles contract.

Titans’ Cooks Offer Included No. 5 Pick

March 13th, 2017 at 9:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of the more interesting trade sagas in recent memory ended with Brandin Cooks going from the Saints to the Patriots, but the Titans entered the frey and made a strong proposal as well. Tennessee’s offer for the 23-year-old wide receiver featured the Titans and Saints swapping first-round picks (No. 5 for No. 11), with the Titans adding a third-round pick in the deal as well, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.

The proposal that ended up getting it done was the Patriots’ first- and third-round selections for Cooks. Philadelphia lasted long into these talks as well, but the Eagles were believed to have been out before the Patriots ultimately eclipsed the Titans’ offer.

Titans GM Jon Robinson said today he not include the No. 18 overall pick in an offer for Cooks, per ESPN.com’s Paul Kuharsky (on Twitter). The No. 18 pick being involved would have almost certainly meant the Titans would have given up a first-round pick in this year’s draft without getting one back, like they would have if the Saints had accepted their proposal. Tennessee still holds picks Nos. 5 and 18 due to their deal with the Rams for Jared Goff last year.

Tennessee’s aggressive Cooks push looks like a sign the team will be in the market for a wideout with one of its top two picks. The Titans lost Kendall Wright in free agency but diminished the former first-round pick’s role over the past two seasons. Tajae Sharpe and Harry Douglas remain on the roster, but neither is close to Cooks’ class. Retaining their two first-rounders, the Titans figure to be a team to watch for players like Mike Williams, John Ross or Corey Davis in Round 1.

Eagles Included Jenkins In Cooks Trade Offer

March 11th, 2017 at 6:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Prior to the Patriots being the winner of the Brandin Cooks sweepstakes, the Eagles made an offer that included veteran safety Malcolm Jenkins, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.

However, the rest of the Eagles’ offer wasn’t quite sufficient enough for the Saints to send Cooks to Philadelphia. Philly offered a third- and a fourth-round pick to the Saints for Cooks, per Florio, who adds the Saints wanted Jenkins and a second-round selection. The Patriots landed Cooks for the No. 32 overall pick, along with a 2017 third-rounder.

Jenkins, of course, spent the first five seasons of his career with the Saints before signing with the Eagles in 2014. He made his first Pro Bowl for the Eagles a year later. Now entering his age-29 season, Jenkins is signed through the 2020 campaign after inking a second Eagles contract — for four years and $35MM — last year.

The Eagles attempted to trade for Cooks at the 2016 deadline and resurfaced with interest last week, joining the Titans and Patriots in pursuit of the coveted 23-year-old wide receiver. The team held Cooks in high regard dating back to the 2014 draft. Philly was reportedly eliminated from the running earlier than Tennessee, which made a standing offer for the fourth-year wideout that may have been better than the Eagles’ Jenkins-fronted package.

However, the Eagles revamped their 2017 receiving corps without making a trade. They signed both Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, and while neither is as young or cheap as Cooks, both figure to make a big impact on what was a depleted Philly wideout corps prior to this week.

Patriots Acquire Brandin Cooks

March 10th, 2017 at 7:21pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Patriots have acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks and a fourth-round pick in 2017 from the Saints in exchange for first- and third-round picks this year, tweets Dianna Russini of ESPN. New England will receive the 118th selection, while Nos. 32 and 103 will go to New Orleans.

The Titans were also involved in the Cooks sweepstakes, but he’ll join the reigning Super Bowl champions instead. New England will now assume responsibility for the $781,599 bonus Cooks is due Monday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

As of Thursday, the Patriots were reportedly considering sending cornerback Malcolm Butler to the Saints in exchange for Cooks. It’s still possible Butler will end up in New Orleans in a separate trade, according to Schefter, while Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes that Butler couldn’t be a part of this deal because the restricted free agent is without a contract at the moment (Twitter link).

Still only 23 years old, Cooks was eminently productive in New Orleans during the first three seasons of his career and will now team with Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, among others, in a loaded group of targets for Pats quarterback Tom Brady. Cooks is coming off his second straight 16-game, 1,100-yard campaign. The 5-foot-10, 189-pounder also combined for 162 catches and seven touchdowns over the past two seasons.

Cooks will come with a modest $1.56MM price tag in 2017, but after a fifth-year option season at approximately $8.5MM, it’s possible he’ll enter eight-figure-per-year territory on his next contract. Barring an extension before then, the Patriots will have an opportunity to see how Cooks fares in their offense before deciding on his long-term future. New Orleans, meanwhile, still has a pair of high-end receivers in Willie Snead and Michael Thomas, thereby rendering Cooks expendable in the club’s estimation. The likelihood is the Saints will look to strengthen their defense with their newly acquired first-rounder.

Photo courtesy of Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

Titans Make Standing Offer For Brandin Cooks

March 9th, 2017 at 4:20pm CST by Zachary Links

The Titans have put their cards on the table. They have a standing offer out to the Saints for wide receiver Brandin Cooks, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Tennessee has been working to land Cooks for the past week or so. The Eagles dropped out of the Cooks chase – and we can say that with certainty now that they’ve signed Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith – but the Patriots are still very much in pursuit. It’s not yet known what the Titans have offered to the Saints, but it may involve first-round compensation. The Titans own the No. 5 overall selection as well as the No. 18 overall pick. One scenario floated recently involved the Titans swapping their No. 5 pick for the Saints’ No. 11 pick.

The Patriots, meanwhile, are reportedly considering a trade that would involve cornerback Malcolm Butler going to New Orleans in exchange for the superstar wide receiver.

Photo courtesy of PFR on Instagram.

Eagles Out On Brandin Cooks; Pats, Titans In

March 9th, 2017 at 11:09am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Saints are expected to trade Brandin Cooks by the end of the day, and the Patriots and Titans both remain in contention for the wide receiver, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. The Eagles aren’t mentioned in Rapoport’s report, and are presumably out on Cooks after signing Torrey Smith earlier today.

The Patriots are thought to be mulling a trade of cornerback Malcolm Butler for Cooks, although the Saints may want even more. A package that includes a defensive contributor plus a draft pick is thought to be the asking price for Cooks. New England has also previously offered its first-round pick (No. 32) for Cooks, but the offer was reportedly rebuffed. At one point, the Titans were thought to be in the lead for Cooks, but it’s unclear exactly what they offered.

In 2016, Cooks caught 78 passes for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns. His yards-per-reception average of 15.0 was a career high and his 66.7% catch rate was a slight step up from his 2015 showing.

Pats To Trade Butler To Saints For Cooks?

March 9th, 2017 at 9:20am CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots are considering trading cornerback Malcolm Butler to the Saints for Brandin Cooks, sources tell Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Patriots have been in pursuit of Cooks for the last week or so, reportedly offering their No. 32 overall pick for Cooks in a race alongside the Eagles and Titans. New Orleans has received several offers of second-round picks for the swift pass-catcher.

Earlier today, the Patriots shocked the football world by signing cornerback Stephon Gilmore in free agency. That move may give them the freedom to trade Butler, a restricted free agent. Butler was tagged with the first-round tender this week. It remains to be seen how unrestricted free agent Logan Ryan factors into all of this, but the early word was that Ryan would probably wind up elsewhere with Gilmore in the fold.

This potential swap would give the Saints a true difference-maker on defense, something they have been seeking in Cooks talks. The Saints were also in search of significant draft compensation (namely, a first-round pick in this year’s draft), and it remains to be seen whether there could also be picks coming in their direction. The Saints still want a quality defensive starter, plus draft picks over the next two years, sources tell Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Butler has seen his star rise steadily after emerging via one of the most impactful plays in NFL history – his goal-line interception of Russell Wilson in Super Bowl XLIX. He became a key Patriots starter in 2015 once the team moved on from Darrelle Revis and in ’16, Butler finished as Pro Football Focus’ No. 7 overall corner. The Pats plan to use a first-round tender on the fourth-year corner, who would potentially exceed New England’s price range in 2018 if he puts the team in a franchise tag-or-free agency decision.

He of back-to-back 1,100-yard receiving seasons, Cooks would bring the kind of high-end young wideout the Patriots have not employed in years. While the team has gotten by with perceived lesser talents just fine, adding the 23-year-old Cooks would strengthen this offense in Tom Brady‘s final years. New England can no longer count on Rob Gronkowski to be healthy and will lose Martellus Bennett to free agency. Julian Edelman will also be 31 in 2017, putting the team in the market for a younger pass-catcher. Cooks would come with a modest $1.56MM price tag in 2017, but after a fifth-year option season at approximately $8.5MM, could enter eight-figure-per-year territory on his next contract as the cap continues to skyrocket.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

Latest On Brandin Cooks Trade Talks

March 8th, 2017 at 9:02am CST by Zachary Links

The Saints are still in discussions with the Eagles, Titans, and Patriots regarding a potential Brandin Cooks deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Saints are looking for draft picks or a front seven player that can pressure opposing quarterbacks, Rapoport adds.

Saints head coach Sean Payton has publicly denied that the team is shopping Cooks, but he did stress that the club is willing to listen to any offer on any player. In short, he wants rival clubs to know that he will not just give away the star wide receiver, but he can be had for the right price. Cooks offers more talent and potential than any wide receiver on this year’s open market and he’s under control at a very team friendly rate for the next two years, so the Patriots, Eagles, and Titans have not been warded off by the Saints’ demands.

The Titans are said to have a leg up on the Patriots and Eagles in the Cooks chase. The Patriots are said to be dangling their No. 32 overall pick in a package for Cooks, so that appears to be the floor for any return on the 23-year-old. However, the Titans are armed with the Nos. 5 and 18 overall picks, so they can pretty much top any offer in terms of draft compensation. The Eagles have the No. 14 overall selection and they could perhaps sweeten the pot with linebacker Mychal Kendricks.

Titans Now In Lead For Brandin Cooks?

March 6th, 2017 at 12:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

Identified early as one of the suitors in the sudden Brandin Cooks sweepstakes, the Titans may now be out in front of this derby. Tennessee remains in on the Cooks market and could well be leading it, Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com reports (on Twitter).

The Titans and Eagles became the first known suitors for the Saints’ No. 1 wide receiver last week, but New Orleans has received several offers for the fourth-year wideout. One of those appears to have come from the Patriots, who are believed to have included their No. 32 overall pick in a package for Cooks. The Saints are aiming for a “real significant” return for Cooks, he of back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons, and have received other offers that include second-round picks. Tennessee holds the Nos. 5 and 18 picks in the first round.

But the Titans have been interested in Cooks since this news broke. The agents for Cooks, Ryan and Bruce Tollner, also represent Marcus Mariota, potentially helping forge a connection to Tennessee. The team does not have a wideout of Cooks’ caliber currently on the roster and is set to see former first-rounder Kendall Wright depart via free agency. Although, Wright ceded his role as Tennessee’s No. 1 years ago. Rishard Matthews led the run-based Titans with 945 air yards last season.

Cooks has one more year, at $1.56MM, left on his rookie contract. But the Saints, or any team that acquires him, would pick up his fifth-year option that stands to be worth around $8.5MM for 2018.

Patriots Offer 32nd Pick For Brandin Cooks

March 4th, 2017 at 6:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

Brandin Cooks has drawn a host of offers, but the Saints are aiming high if they’re to part with the 23-year-old wide receiver. Most notably, the Patriots have entered the equation. The defending Super Bowl champions offered their first-round pick (No. 32 overall) as part of a package for Cooks, NOLA.com’s Josh Katzenstein reports. But the reporter adds the Saints are targeting a mid-first-round selection for Cooks if they are to deal him.

Several other teams have made overtures to the Saints for Cooks, offering second-round picks for the fourth-year receiver, but the team is holding out. The Titans and Eagles are among the interested teams. Katzenstein notes at least five teams have contacted the Saints about Cooks. One of the unnamed franchises is hoping to give the Saints some defensive help to acquire the elusive wideout.

New Orleans is not operating as if it has to deal the wideout, though. He’s signed through 2017 and will be available on his rookie contract through ’18, provided the Saints or the team to which he’s traded predictably picks up his fifth-year option. Katzenstein notes Cooks’ agents could come into play in this deal. Ryan and Bruce Tollner represent the wideout. They are also the agents for Carson Wentz and Marcus Mariota, helping to explain the two initial suitors becoming known this week.

Bill Belichick offered praise for the then-second-year wideout in 2015, expressing relief his team doesn’t have to face Cooks annually.

The Eagles have had their eye on Cooks dating back to the 2014 draft, and Philly attempted to trade for him before the 2016 trade deadline. The Eagles hold the No. 14 pick in the first round after winning a Friday coin flip vs. the Colts, while the second of the Titans’ two first-rounders is the No. 18 pick. Those would fall within the realm of a mid-first-round selection. The Titans and Saints have already exchanged proposals regarding a potential deal, one that would have to be “real significant” if New Orleans is to part with its current top receiver.

The Saints now have both Willie Snead and Michael Thomas as emerging playmakers, with Thomas breaking out down the stretch of his rookie slate. But Cooks has compiled two 1,100-yard seasons and has scored 17 touchdowns in those campaigns. And he’s under contract in 2017 for just $1.56MM. A 2018 fifth-year option would stand to be worth around $8.5MM.

Obviously not averse to trading skill-position threats, the Saints have shipped out Darren Sproles, Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills in the past three years.