Cooks explains the reason for his outburst "Closed mouths don't get fed" (1 Viewer)

From everything we have heard, Cooks is a deeply interested student of the game who spends a lot of time on film and working hard - he was described as a very high football IQ. At least that was the story on him coming into the team and I haven't heard anything different since then. You seem to be contrasting Cooks with Thomas on the precision, the football smarts, etc. - but I didn't think Cooks was deficient in any of those areas and never thought his game was simply based on speed.



Obviously Thomas has "it" and has been tremendously impressive with his routes, his hands, his game - everything. But I'm wondering if part of the contrast is about size and utilization in our system. Thomas has the perfect size, hands, and inside toughness to play that Colston role that can be so productive when Brees and Sean are working mismatches, which I think the is bread and butter of our system (forcing defenders into mismatches and exploiting them). Apart from a few designed plays, Cooks is typically on the edge as an X or Z in our system - and that spot just seems to get slightly less action for us.



But it isn't like he's having a bad season - he's 21st in the league on yards and tied for 8th in TDs. I'm glad he's looking to fine tune his game, but I don't think there's anything that he has been failing to do.



No he isn't having a bad season, and he is a good player. But, his routes are not as crisp and cut off as they could be. He can be taken out of the game by a good CB. I didn't take it from him that it was a disrespect tot he organization, more about how if he wants to go from the 21st best WR that can be shut down, he needs take his game to the next level. He was unhappy at his usage yes, but I think he realized also that he wasn't getting open either.

I may have come across too harshly as I do like Cooks and think he is a special young player. But, I think he is finally realizing that if he wants to be one of the few upper tier players, he has to push himself tot he next level. I have no doubts he will.


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I know we won. But, him having zero targets is gross. He's earned the right to say something.

Then he should have complained about it privately with his bosses (you know, the ones who can do something about his grievances) and talk about his expectations with them; in lieu of blasting some veiled melodramatic whining on social media.

Maybe he's right...maybe he learned from Keenan Lewis that if you whine on Twitter, you get what you want. I just think it's an unprofessional way to handle your business. I mean....since he was saying he should be a business man and all.

I like him a lot. I just hate when athletes use social media to whine cryptically (or blatantly) about something they are unhappy about at work. But he's still pretty young - hopefully he'll learn.
 
I know we won. But, him having zero targets is gross. He's earned the right to say something.

No he hasn't.

Michael Thomas and Willie Snead have a higher catch rate than Cooks. Both also have more yards after catch and all three have about the same amount of targets. Both also have more first downs than Cooks. The numbers say Cooks is our 3rd best WR. He may be the best getting the best coverage but then the numbers say he's better used as a decoy.

I do think that Cooks should be used on the jet sweep at least once a game. I also think we should throw him a quick screen per game so he should have 2 touches every single game no matter what. After that though, it's up to him to get open. Michael Thomas has the #2 rating DVOA out of all WR's as a rookie. If that bothers him then he needs to get better.

All analysts say he's one of the best route runners out there. I disagree. While on film he runs perfect routes, he never wastes steps, gets in and out of breaks quickly he is also super mechanical and he lacks the understanding how to slightly deviate a route to better set up a corner. If he ever learns that he'll be Antonio Brown part 2. Until then he's a guy that is destined for the shadow of Michael Thomas.

As far as earning that right to speak out. Jimmy Graham earned a lot more than Cooks did, you see where that landed him.
 
So....Cooks. Instead of standing in the middle of the street and shouting this to the public "social media," go to your head coach and tell him all these things you're now having to explain publicly and talk to your teammates in the locker room about your concerns and ambitions.
 
Sean P made a comment about Roman Harper that applies here.

Yes. Special teams will be a part of it. He brought that up during the visit. A guy like him that knows who he is, and Bill (Parcells) used to say this all the time, can play a long time in this league. What keeps guys from playing a long time oftentimes is (that) they never adjust their own vision.

Cooks needs to either work harder or adjust his vision of who he is and what he does best because he's obviously higher on himself and his talents than is warranted. There's a bit of an illusion as to how good he thinks he is vs how good his film says he is. Yet this is the one time I'll say his age can be clearly used as an excuse. Confidence isn't a bad thing but you keep that in house and whomever is giving him/ gave him that advice (even if it's self) needs to can it. Was def a distraction especially after a win..that's a comment you make when you lose the game as your argument has a little more substance.
 
Interesting. At first, when he talked about "business" and having to be "a businessman" I thought he might be saying he wasn't being targeted on purpose so he wouldn't hit contract incentives or something and cost the team money. This just seems like standard issue frustration and ego--and it's rare to find a wideout who doesn't have a lot of ego.

Cooks is such a different player than I thought he would be when we drafted him. I thought he'd really be a quick-twitch slot receiver---elusive in close quarters with superior short area quickness. Turns out he's more a pure burner, a downfield, home run hitter more in the Devery Henderson mode. Cooks is good and I'm glad we have him. But Thomas is something he'll never be--6'3"with a huge hands and a gigantic catch radius. Thomas is smooth, surprisingly elusive after the catch and also has a high football IQ with a passion to be great. I think it's clear he'll grow to be the #1 WR on the staff if he isn't already. That means Cooks and Snead IV will play supporting roles, which in the Saint offense still means you'll still stay very busy. I don't know how Cooks, a former 1st rounder, will cope with that fact.
 
Contract time he will think he is better then he really is. Good player but has some limitations. I love confidence. When your upset of your role when your team mates puts up that many points. That concerns me. He would rather the ball be thrown to him in double coverage then the advantageous match up so he can get his numbers. He spinning it. But it's a pure me before the team attitude. Nothing wrong with his work ethic. But his attitude would concern me.

All he has to do is look at the last offensive player on this team who had a similar attitude but numbers to back it up, and where that got him. I'd be jumping for joy as a fan if there was a buyer willing to pay half of what JG sold for.
 
It's a money grab.
More catches, yards, TDs, etc. = more money

Call it what you want Brandin, but I'll tell it how I see it.



And on the whole, WRs are divas claim...
Willie Snead?
Michael Thomas?
Devery Henderson?
Robert Meachem?
Marques Colston?

The list goes on and on.

It sucks that Cooks had to go all KLewis, Jimmy Graham, he-who-must-not-be-named (...Jr.) on us.
Idk. He was on the team with them.
Meh.
 
This is a bad look for Cooks no matter how you guys wanna spin it. It's selfish, especially in light of our best offensive performance of the season. I promise you, Sean Payton is less than pleased.
I agree. I don't blame Cooks. But this may be the beginning of the end for him here. Name one openly selfish receiver who has lasted under Payton.

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This is a bad look for Cooks no matter how you guys wanna spin it. It's selfish, especially in light of our best offensive performance of the season. I promise you, Sean Payton is less than pleased.
Have to disagree with you on this. I'm sure that he was happy with the win, but in a game where our offense scores seven touchdowns and one of our better offensive players has zero targets, very understandable his frustration afterwards
 
This is a bad look for Cooks no matter how you guys wanna spin it. It's selfish, especially in light of our best offensive performance of the season. I promise you, Sean Payton is less than pleased.

Exactly what I thought as well on the matter. I originally thought we were over analyzing things based on the few comments he's posted. All-in-all, he's one of the leaders on this team and that is by far, NOT the leadership this organization has worked so hard to build the last couple of years.

To think Cooks was one of the FIRST guys to be seen as the sign of a team selflessness. Personal progress is important, but this isn't a tech job in silicon valley. Although you are valuable, you are only evaluated on what you contribute to the progress of the company's goals. The second you go against that, it's at your own peril.

Now do I think Cooks is in any danger? hardley. But it makes it easier for decisions to be made in situations like this. Cooks is one of the last personnel to be cut, but complaints like this will fast track you to the cut line.
 
"when i get the ball things happen"

kind of disagree with that. cooks isn't really an explosive player i thought we would be getting, unless he is burning passed a defender. he struggles though against phsyical corners.

he is also awful on screens. his movements are so awkward and indecisive. little agility. same goes for when he returns a punt once in a while.
he's a nice player, but essentially one trick pony. he isn't afraid to jump up and grab a ball in traffic though and has good hands.

"Guys have been good about it. And they know me, and it's not coming from a selfish standpoint. So that's the beautiful part about it."

happy he said that though
 
The problem is that he wants to be in the top couple receivers in the league. That's what drives him and he probably has the talent to become one. However generally having a single top receiver is indicative of a 2nd to 3rd tier offense. Once your talent is recognized you start getting double covered and extra attention. A less talented or less well coach offense can attack you at that matchup or they can attack the one on one matchups until you readjust. One of the hallmarks of these #1 reciever based offesnes is inconsistencty. You cannot generate consistent offense looking to pass against a double team in the NFL.

Dallas and Dez-->They have taken major steps forward when utilizing him as a good player rather than a must feed option this year

Steelers and AB-->Good offense but gets bogged down frequently from trying to force passes to AB

Falcons and Julio-->Ryan has jumped forward this year now that he spreading the ball around

Lions and Calvin Johnson-->Matthew Stafford and the offense has arguably taken a step forward this year even with all the RB injuries

Bengals and AJ Green-->Almost the definition of 2nd tier probably was never good and this might be Dalton's fault

Annd the closest to home example and why we got Cooks and Thomas in the first place...

Saints and JG-->Our offense was great but focusing in on that #1 option is what really led to us getting stuck as well as increasing int totals.

Not definitive evidence (cause I'm lazy) but you should really be looking to have your top reciever at that 1,100 to 1,200 yard mark most likely. Throw to him when he is open and move to the next guy when he is double covered. Feeding is bad and leeds to drive inconsistencty and more int's with safeties looming.

Tl;dr Cooks just needs to ride out this wave of extra attention. A couple scripted passes is fine but feeding is where offenses get bogged down and ups int totals. Thomas is playing great but has rarely received extra attention. A couple more games of Thomas being this dynamic and teams might start relaxing coverage a bit on Cooks and he will explode again.
 
I'm a big fan of Cooks, but this wasn't good by him. How can this not be seen as being selfish and putting himself first before the team?

I mean if we had just been coming off a terrible offensive performance maybe I could understand, but when we just dominated one of the best D's in the league it doesn't look good at all on him.
 

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