Brandin Cooks - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Cooks, Ross, Davis, Cousins

March 4th, 2017 at 12:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Eagles have been connected to Brandin Cooks for some time. Eyeing the eventual Saints wide receiver in 2014 draft, Philadelphia tried to trade for the speedster before the deadline last year, Jeff McLane of Philly.com reports. Both the Eagles and Titans have been connected to the fourth-year wideout, who will have two more years left on his rookie contract after his fifth-year option is picked up. The Eagles were also connected to 49ers wideout Torrey Smith prior to the 2016 trade deadline. They did not end up making a trade, but wide receiver looms at or near the top of Philly’s wish list going into the 2017 offseason.

Here’s more from around the league.

Washington wideout prospect John Ross set NFL Twitter ablaze today by running a 4.22-second 40-yard dash. That time is now official, Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets. The former Huskies pass-catcher ascends to the top of the Combine 40 hierarchy. Chris Johnson‘s 4.24-second clocking in 2008 previously resided atop this list. Ross, though, was limping after the historic sprint and entered the Combine with a shoulder malady that will be addressed soon. Ross has a surgery scheduled for March 14 — three days after Washington’s pro day — according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Cole adds that Ross is expected to be ready to start his rookie season on time.
One NFL wide receivers coach likened the 5-foot-11 wideout to “a clean Tyreek Hill,” via Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (on Twitter). Ross was already considered one of the top receiver prospects in this draft, with ESPN.com’s Todd McShay (Insider link) ranking him behind only Mike Williams and Corey Davis.
Davis expects to be ready to play by minicamp, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. The Western Michigan talent isn’t participating at the Combine due to ankle surgery. He won’t be ready to return to action by Western Michigan’s pro day.
Kirk Cousins has yet to sign his Redskins franchise tender after doing so immediately last year upon being tagged, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. Florio offers that Cousins’ wait may be in hopes of the team rescinding the tag, a la Josh Norman last year. Cousins said in January he’d sign the tag, worth $23.94MM, and Florio notes that not happening after four days shows something isn’t right. Of course, the Cousins negotiations stand to be complex this offseason, and it’s still incredibly early in this process. No other tagged performer as signed his tender yet.

Saints Want First-Round Pick For Cooks

March 3rd, 2017 at 9:40am CST by Zachary Links

Teams are calling on Brandin Cooks, but it will cost quite a bit to pry him away from the Saints. New Orleans wants a first-round pick in exchange for the explosive wide receiver, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

On Thursday, we learned that the Titans and Eagles are both pursuing a Cooks deal. Reportedly, there are two scenarios floating around with regards to a potential Titans deal. One would have the Titans swap their No. 5 overall selection with the Saints’ No. 11 pick with one or two additional picks going to New Orleans. Alternatively, the Titans could send their No. 18 overall pick to the Saints in a simpler deal. Head coach Sean Payton said that it would take something “real significant” for the team to part ways with the 23-year-old (24 in September) and it doesn’t sound like he was kidding.

Cooks currently has a very team-friendly contract, but he will push for a hefty contract extension wherever he goes, Rapoport tweets. Cooks has a modest base salary of $1.56MM for 2017 with a fifth-year option worth $8.5MM for 2018. However, the wide receiver is going to want a deal that puts him near the top of his position.

On all fronts, acquiring Cooks would be costly for any interested team. Alshon Jeffery and Kenny Stills would also cost a ton, but teams won’t have to sacrifice a first-round choice for either player.

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Extra Points: Saints, Jags, 49ers, Falcons

March 2nd, 2017 at 10:18pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks is drawing trade interest from multiple teams, but it would take something “real significant” for New Orleans to deal the 23-year-old, head coach Sean Payton told the team’s website (video link). Still, Payton didn’t deny that talks have taken place and he says the Saints are “always listening,” particularly when there are opportunities to improve their defense.

Titans, Eagles Talking Brandin Cooks Trade

March 2nd, 2017 at 11:12am CST by Zachary Links

Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks is the object of trade talks and the Titans and Eagles are two of the interested suitors, league sources tell Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Titans appear to be the more likely destination for him, one source says (Twitter link), but two other sources have conflicting opinions on the matter (link).

Back in December, we first heard that the Saints could explore a Cooks deal. Now, on the eve of free agency, that seems to be coming to fruition. Both the Titans and Eagles are known to be looking for wide receivers and it’s little surprise that both teams are also in the mix for Alshon Jeffery. If one of the two clubs nabs Cooks via trade, that could help facilitate a Jeffery signing for the other team.

One scenario, Mortensen writes, would be for the the Titans to send their No. 18 overall pick to New Orleans for Cooks in a one-for-one swap. Another scenario, sources say, has the Titans swapping the No. 5 overall selection with the Saints’ No. 11 pick for Cooks, perhaps with another pick or two also involved.

At one point last year, Cooks felt his role in the offense was slipping and he was rather vocal about it. Apparently, his declaration that “closed mouths don’t get fed” had some validity. When all was said and done, Cooks finished with 117 targets, just 12 less than he had in 2015.

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.

Although talk of a Cooks deal has been brewing for a while, it’s a bit surprising to hear that the Saints might bail on the talented receiver. After all, he still has two years to go on his current deal at a rather affordable rate. This year, he’ll earn a base salary of $1.56MM. Then, there’s a fifth-year option on him worth about $8.5MM for 2018.

In addition to Cooks, the Saints also have Michael Thomas, Willie Snead, and Brandon Coleman on the depth chart. Thomas, a rising sophomore, could be elevated to the WR1 role, but the Saints would probably need to add another impact wide receiver if they were to trade Cooks.

Saints Could Explore Brandin Cooks Trade

December 4th, 2016 at 12:57pm CST by Rory Parks

Brandin Cooks is one of the most talented young wide receivers in the league, but his role in the Saints’ dynamic offense has diminished a bit this year. He is on pace to receive 30 fewer targets than 2015, and he was not targeted at all in last week’s victory over the Rams. He felt compelled to voice some frustration earlier this week, saying, “closed mouths don’t get fed.”

And yet, the Saints offense continues to thrive, leading some to wonder if the New Orleans system is the best one for Cooks. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says that the Saints are expected to explore trading Cooks this offseason prior to the opening of free agency, and if that happens, Cooks would of course garner significant interest. ESPN’s Adam Schefter confirms the report, and adds that league sources believe a Cooks trade was brewing earlier this season, a deal that would have sent the former first-rounder to the Patriots in exchange for Jamie Collins.

The Saints, of course, traded Jimmy Graham and his highly lucrative contract a few seasons ago, and although Cooks is still playing under his rookie deal, he is eligible for a long-term extension at the end of the 2016 campaign. Plus, he is a deep threat who is not being used that way, and it appears as though Willie Snead and Michael Thomas better fit what New Orleans does on offense.

Head coach Sean Payton, however, took exception to the trade rumors, retweeting a reader who suggested that Rapoport was blindly throwing darts and did not do sufficient research to substantiate his report (link via Mike Triplett of ESPN.com).

Saints Shopping Kenny Stills, Others

March 12th, 2015 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

1:43pm: A source with knowledge of the situation tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that Drew Brees and Brandin Cooks are essentially the only Saints not being shopped, as the team retools.

1:17pm: The Saints have been one of the league’s more active teams this week, working out trades that shipped a pair of Pro Bowlers, Jimmy Graham and Ben Grubbs, out of New Orleans. And it doesn’t look like they’re done yet. According to Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 Washington (via Twitter), the team is exploring trades involving wide receiver Kenny Stills. Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports, meanwhile, hears from a source that the team is shopping practically every player on its roster (Twitter link).

Peter King of TheMMQB.com wrote earlier this week that when Mickey Loomis and Seahawks GM John Schneider discussed trades prior to working out the Graham deal, the New Orleans GM “brought up the names of a couple of Saints receivers.” While King didn’t identify specific players, it certainly sounds like one of those receivers was probably Stills.

Stills, who turns just 23 next month, became an integral part of the Saints’ passing attack in 2014, hauling in 63 passes for 931 yards and three touchdowns. The Saints’ top deep threat, Stills have averaged 16.5 yards per catch since entering the league in 2013, and is on an inexpensive rookie contract for two more years, so I expect the team’s asking price would be fairly high.

Saints Place Brandin Cooks On IR

November 18th, 2014 at 4:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Saints quarterback Drew Brees will be without one of his favorite targets for the remainder of the season, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that the team placed wideout Brandin Cooks on injured reserve today, ending his rookie campaign. Cooks reportedly broke his thumb during Sunday’s loss to the Bengals and had been expected to miss four to six weeks.

Cooks, the 20th overall pick in May’s draft, was an all-purpose weapon for the Saints in his first NFL season, racking up 550 receiving yards on 53 catches to go along with 73 yards on seven rushes. In addition to his offensive contributions, which included four touchdowns, Cooks also returned 10 punts for the club.

The Saints also completed a handful of other moves today, according to Yates (Twitter link). Safety Rafael Bush joins Cooks on the IR list, while running back Edwin Baker has been waived by the team. With the three newly-opened roster spots, New Orleans signed linebacker Moise Fokou, cornerback Terrence Frederick, and safety Pierre Warren. Frederick had been on the Saints’ own practice squad, while Warren was signed away from the Vikings’ unit.

Injury Updates: Monday

November 17th, 2014 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

We don’t pass along news on every injury here at Pro Football Rumors, but we’ll keep tabs on those injuries that may be serious enough to warrant a player heading to IR, or his team making a roster move in order to make up for his absence. Already today, we’ve learned that the Colts believe Ahmad Bradshaw broke his ankle during last night’s game against the Patriots. Here are a few more updates from around the league:

Browns head coach Mike Pettine told reporters today that linebacker Jabaal Sheard may be out for the season with a foot injury (Twitter links via Jeff Schudel and Nate Ulrich). As for Karlos Dansby, whose MCL injury is noted below, he could be sidelined for a month or so.
Dolphins linebacker Jonathan Freeny is expected to miss about four weeks with a hamstring injury, sources tell James Walker of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
A successful contract year has come to an abrupt and disappointing end for Falcons running back Antone Smith, according to head coach Mike Smith, who told reporters today that Smith broke his leg and will be placed on IR (Twitter link via Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com).

Earlier updates:

As first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Falcons cornerback Robert Alford broke his wrist during yesterday’s win over the Panthers. Smith confirmed that Alford will miss two to four weeks with the injury, tweets McClure.
Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians announced today that tight end Troy Niklas has a high ankle sprain and is unlikely to play this week. The team intends to monitor Niklas and is hopeful that the injury won’t end his season (Twitter links via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com).
As first reported by CST’s Victor Howell (Twitter link), Saints wide receiver and return man Brandin Cooks broke his thumb yesterday against the Bengals. Agent Jeff Sperbeck (Twitter link) has confirmed that his client had surgery on his thumb and should return in about four to six weeks.. With Robert Meachem also dealing with an ankle issue, New Orleans may consider adding another wideout to the roster at some point this week.
The Saints also saw safety Rafael Bush leave yesterday’s game with a leg injury, and Ramon Antonio Vargas of the Advocate reports that Bush has a broken fibula rather than a more serious fractured tibia. Still, a fractured fibula generally requires a few weeks to heal, so we’ll see if New Orleans decides to put Bush on injured reserve — if they do, he’d be the fourth Saints safety to land on IR this year. Ty Zimmerman, Vinnie Sunseri, and notable offseason signee Jairus Byrd are already on IR.
The Browns believe starting linebacker Karlos Dansby suffered a sprained MCL against the Texans yesterday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Dansby is undergoing more tests today to confirm the diagnosis and to determine a timetable for his recovery.

Poll: Which Rookie WR Will Have Best Season?

August 21st, 2014 at 6:22pm CST by Zachary Links

They say there are some things you can’t teach in sports. One of them is size. Another is the ability to make a jaw-dropping one-handed catch after tripping just one second prior. Bills rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins is lacking in the first department but he’s got the latter down pat.

With top-level speed, excellent agility, and soft hands, Watkins was almost universally regarded as the top WR talent in the 2014 class. So, he’s a lock to win this poll, right? Maybe not. Second-year quarterback EJ Manuel boasts a strong arm but he’s far from elite and one has to wonder how many quality balls he can deliver to Manuel. The Clemson product is also working through a rib injury which could possibly hamper him to start the season.

Moving further down the draft board, there are plenty of other wide receivers with an opportunity to make a name for themselves in year one. The Panthers overhauled their entire receiving corps this offseason and many are expecting big things out of FSU’s Kelvin Benjamin. In New Orleans, many are skeptical of what the once solid Marques Colston can do and the hype around Brandin Cooks is reaching a fever pitch. And, without DeSean Jackson, Jordan Matthews could see a lot of balls thrown his way in Philadelphia. Beyond those guys, there are even more promising WR’s from this year’s receiver-heavy draft. Who among them will have the best 2014 season?

NFC South Notes: Bucs, McCown, Cooks, Dickson

August 2nd, 2014 at 3:59pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Buccaneers were the subject of Peter King’s in depth training camp review, and the thing that stood out most for King was the potential size among the pass catchers. He notes that in three receiver, one tight end sets they have the opportunity to put four different receiving options that stand 6’5″ tall (Vincent Jackson, Mike Evans, Tommy Streeter, Austin Sefarian Jenkins). The shrimp of the group is Chris Owusu, and he is 6’2″, but could play out of the slot with Jackson and Evans on either side of him.

Here are some other notes from around the NFC South:

King also touched on two new players in Buccaneers camp, singling out Michael Johnson as the best new addition. He picked Johnson as the most important player to have a huge year if the team was going to finish among the best in the NFC. He also made a bold prediction on quarterback Josh McCown, saying he will be a “middle-of-the-pack” starter, which is all the team needs him to be.
Saints‘ first-round pick Brandin Cooks was a standout during the team’s Black and Gold scrimmage, amassing over 100 total yards, reports Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com. That includes a number of highlight plays, including one deep pass that was negated by penalty. According to Terrell, defensive coordinator Rob Ryan also put up a big number, using 20+ expletives during the scrimmage, although it is unclear exactly how many were yelled at Cooks.
The Panthers are planning to utilize double tight end looks more often this season with the addition of Ed Dickson this offseason, according to USA Today. Dickson will join Greg Olsen as a second tall receiving option, that can also be used as an in-line blocker.