Saints sign WR Brandin Cooks to a 2-year, $13 million deal (94 Viewers)

[Taker597]

It’s a process to add talent or legit contributors to the roster, especially at depleted skill positions. We’d disappoint ourselves if we look at every move as all-in or SB or bust. They’re trying to get back to having good depth to be a winning team again.

I think going all in would’ve been splurging on a couple top 5-AAV FAs. Cooks simply gives us an established starting WR on an inexpensive short term starter deal. We have 3 good WRs now instead of just 2.

Cooks hasn't been good for 3 years and will be turning 32. This is a nothingburger move.

Going from MVS to Cooks is a more expensive downgrade.

 

[platinumvinnyv]

Michael Thomas next ?

 

[Elvis]

Juwan Johnson can serve as the Big X. He did it towards the end of last year.

I've been a proponent of converting him back to WR to play that role, but he can do it as a TE as well.

We need big a few big targets, but CKM could be using TEs as those targets.

Means is big at 6'2" 225lbs and crazy athletic so he could be the guy as well.

I really want to see what Bub Means has in him. He looked the part at times in his limited snaps last year.

 

[WhoDat?DrewDat]

We’ve (you and I) been contemplating that move since last year. He’s an asset similar to what Lattimore was and is a piece of the new core we started building in 2022 that hasn’t exactly panned out like we thought.

Add that to Olaves brother saying him risking his career in New Orleans wasn’t worth it and a potential divorce has always had some legs to it

I’m still interested in a move to #1

Olave has no where near the value that Lattimore did.

Olave is worth maybe a 5th? 4th if you're lucky?

 

[RaisingTheBar]

Would have rather just kept MVS at this point, he already has chemistry with Carr.

The issue with comments like this is that, although I agree with your opinion, it takes two to tango. What if MVS wanted to follow Kubiak and didn’t want to resign here?

 

[Tulsa Saint]

Cooks hasn't been good for 3 years and will be turning 32. This is a nothingburger move.

Going from MVS to Cooks is a more expensive downgrade.

He had 8 TDs in 2023

MVS is about the same age and the money is comparable.

 

[RaisingTheBar]

He had 8 TDs in 2023

MVS is about the same age and the money is comparable.

MVS is 1 year younger but hasn’t produced anything comparable to what Cooks has in his career. So Cooks had to get more that him.

 

[OzzieSaint]

And who on God's green earth are you picking? Is there anyone remotely worth that price? Who you got?

Depends on who goes top 2. Ward, Hunter for CB, Graham, Carter?

 

[Dome50]

Cooks has had such an interesting career. How many draft picks (including first round picks) were used to draft and trade for him? We traded up in the first round to get him. New England traded a first for him and so did LA. Is he the most traded player in NFL history?

Also, a very productive career. Started 144 games, nearly 10K yards and 62 touchdowns. And, never made a single probowl. Almost like a Marques Colston career (had Colston been traded a million times). No clue what he has left in the tank, but last year was not great statistically.

 

[Tulsa Saint]

MVS is 1 year younger but hasn’t produced anything comparable to what Cooks has in his career. So Cooks had to get more that him.

Right

6.5 mil a year is not bad at all for a guy nearing 10K yards and caught 8 TDs less than 2 years ago. He was also in an offense dominated by Ceedee.

I would’ve been fine resigning MVS but Cooks is in no way a downgrade. He can help the younger WRs quite a bit as well.

 

[Stalwart385]

Did not expect this at all, but I'm here for it.

 

[Snakehead]

MVS is a 1 trick pony. He started hot, but reverted to the MVS the entire league knows. Cooks is the better WR.

 

[St. Widge]

MVS had chemistry with Carr on deep routes. He wasn’t catching slants or crossers often, or catching before or near the sticks that much. Pass offense has to function with WRs who are effective at a full route tree. We can’t do shot throws on most passing downs which is what MVS was mostly effective at.

Cooks is a much better complete WR than MVS. He has the career #s to more than back that up. Even in Cooks’ down year last season, he was a better intermediate route receiver than MVS in inter targets and FDs.

Agreed. At some point teams knew that all we could really do to hurt them on offense was the deep shots to MVS and they took them away. And, MVS is likely going to go back to being a guy that can't catch at some point.

 

[Lustmord]

did any of those that dont like those move, want Kupp? ( for 15 m a year?) both, 31 years old, injured of late.

 

[texasjefe]

Let's get the meh things acknowledged. Cooks at his worst is old, inconsistent, runs hot/cold, has wear-and-tear, disappears for stretches in games, at times looks like he's making business decisions, another not-big receiver, no longer plays the top deep threat role anymore, makes alot of catches as the 'uncovered' receiver, and a risk whether we'll get equal or greater value out of the invested $14M.

However, this signing has alot of good news. I think it helps to better clarify the receiver room and Olave and Shaheed's roles. Essentially, Cooks is experienced depth for these guys, and as many have said, is insurance or a contingency in case Olave gets another concussion. Cooks can start or he can come in on packages or as depth. If he's healthy, he can produce and hopefully with speed beat defenders who are not going to be the top cover guys.

$7M for two years is affordable. I like the 2 year part. Smart contract, if there ends up being dead money it will be very manageable.

The receiver room ideally (barring injury) starting the season seems clearer:

Hopefully, new X drafted in early rounds
Olave
Sheed
Cooks

Spot 5 and maybe 6?
Who wins/who goes to practice squad among
Pettis, Wilson Jr., Kevin Austin Jr., Means, Tipton,
new non-x drafted receiver or UFDA's signed. In that group, Wilson Jr. carries a $1.3M dead cap if he leaves. (nothing to worry about). Pettis may have some like that but it has not made the OTC list yet.

In Dallas and Philly, Moore worked with receivers basically 3-deep. Moore will eventually want - maybe sooner than later - an alpha receiver like he had in CeeDee Lamb or A.J. Brown. We need a clean cap by 2027 or increased capacity earlier so we can eventually trade for or sign a big name 2nd contract receiver, if the Saints can't produce one via the draft.