Saints would want a first-round pick for Brandin Cooks (1 Viewer)

[BoNcHiE]

I think i saw somewhere Cooks 5th year option was 8 m, but i'm not sure.

I'm estimating based on Vacarro's being 5m this year but it may be higher since Cooks went a year later, but he did go lower than Vacarro.

I'll check. Either way, 8m is nothing for a player of his caliber and would still be considered cheap.

 

[canuckredux]

I don't see a team giving up a 1st round pick for a receiver that is fast and can only basket catch the ball

Cooks dropped 3 passes last year on 117 targets-a 2.6% drop rate. On top of this, only 2 players had more receptions and a higher yards/reception (Julio Jones-3 drops and T.Y. Hilton-6 drops). He must be pretty good at basket catching, then.

 

[SaintsFan742]

They say it takes 3 years for a WR to develop. We just went through Cooks growing pains.

Now let's trade him and his sweet contract? Does not compute.

3 years, what about Michael Thomas? Who are "they" exactly? I agree with you that we should not trade him; however, if we are compensated immensely, we cannot pass the opportunity up. I want Cooks to stay here just as much as anyone else, but if a team is dumb enough to give us a 1st rd. pick and another high draft pick, I say go for it.

 

[dvdman]

Yes $8 million which is pretty cheap for a top tier receiver in his prime these days in the NFL.

I think i saw somewhere Cooks 5th year option was 8 m, but i'm not sure.

 

[fishing4food]

Cooks dropped 3 passes last year on 117 targets-a 2.6% drop rate. On top of this, only 2 players had more receptions and a higher yards/reception (Julio Jones-3 drops and T.Y. Hilton-6 drops). He must be pretty good at basket catching, then.

I don't play fantasy football so I don't pay much attention to stats....I try to focus on wins and getting to the playoffs...

 

[Waymer]

For those asking about the cost of Cooks' 5th year, it varies by position (hence why KV's contract will be different from Cooks').

SALARIES ASSOCIATED WITH FIFTH-YEAR OPTIONS, 2013

POSITION 1ST 10 PICKS PICKS 11-32
Cornerback $11,913,000 $8,026,000
Defensive End $12,734,000 $8,069,000
Defensive Tackle $10,875,000 $6,757,000
Linebacker $11,925,000 $8,369,000
Offensive Line $11,902,000 $8,821,000
Punter/Kicker $4,123,000 $3,011,000
Quarterback $17,696,000 $11,357,000
Running Back $9,647,000 $5,824,000
Safety $9,116,000 $5,676,000
Tight End $7,713,000 $4,782,000
Wide Receiver $12,268,000 $7,915,000​

Obviously the cost will be slightly different (more) next year for the 2014 class, but you get the gist.

 

[Twags14]

I don't play fantasy football so I don't pay much attention to stats....I try to focus on wins and getting to the playoffs...

Ima need you to focus harder because wins and playoffs isn't something we've seen in a few years.

 

[JRead2]

I don't think a trade for a draft pick is good idea. I don't care if it's first rounder. The fact is, we have a proven commodity with Cooks. We know what we have. Draft picks are always a gamble. There's no guarantee we'll get a player even close to the caliber of Cooks. It's a bad idea, and hopefully just a bunch of rumors.

 

[football]

I don't think a trade for a draft pick is good idea. I don't care if it's first rounder. The fact is, we have a proven commodity with Cooks. We know what we have. Draft picks are always a gamble. There's no guarantee we'll get a player even close to the caliber of Cooks. It's a bad idea, and hopefully just a bunch of rumors.

So are free agents. Sometimes they don't work out as planned. They demand big contracts. Major cap hits. I get what you are saying. But with draft picks, team can "mold" draft picks into the type of players they can be. It all depends on teams and their coaching staff. And draft picks are cheaper to deal with.

We had our share of "proven" players in CJ Spiller, Jarius Byrd, and Brandon Browner. Look what those cost us. All three spent a total of 5 years with us and cost us greatly. We are still recovering from them.

With Cooks, the problem with him is that he doesn't want to be here. I am all against trading him but if his heart is not into it, than why would we keep someone who demand to be traded himself. Apparently he doesn't want to be here anymore.

 

[Saint Greg]

Brandin Cooks is a free agent in 2019. Michael Thomas is a free agent in 2020. Does anyone think we can keep both?

 

[soggymoss]

Brandin Cooks is a free agent in 2019. Michael Thomas is a free agent in 2020. Does anyone think we can keep both?

We can keep both. The real question would be if we want to tie up 30+ million in cap space between 2 receivers.

 

[Swimmer]

I wonder how much of this really about Cooks wanting more money, wanting that big contract now. He may be playing the unhappy card just to try and get a major long-term contract

 

[J.T.]

I can't see trading Cooks for less than a First, and really a First and Third. He can be locked up for another year after this one for maybe $8.5 million, plus his $1.5 million this year. that puts his next two years at $10 million. After that, the Franchise Tag for a WR would probably be $15 million, so for $25 million, he would be here three more years. Then you let him leave, get a third round compensatory pick. Three years of a 1,000/yard per year WR, on top of his two years the last two years. He would be 26. We would have gotten our money's worth out of drafting him and then get a third round pick.

The speculation that he could be dealt for a second rounder, to me looks crazy.

A First and a Third, or keep him and let him play for $1.5 million in 2017, then pick up his 5th year option and play this game again next year.

 

[saintsfan20]

We can keep both. The real question would be if we want to tie up 30+ million in cap space between 2 receivers.

The other part of the question, is how much are we willing to invest in an already Top 5 Offense? How much do we sink into the Offense that revolves around an aging QB (I'm talking about long term future here, not just 1 or 2 seasons ahead)

The Offense isn't the reason we're missing the Playoffs, it's the Defense not being to stop a nosebleed. It's not being able to take the QB down. Cam Jordan can't do it all by himself.

Let's look at the Tennessee Titans. They have Brian Orakpo. He was a big deal coming out of Texas, drafted by the Redskins. He had 2 down years in Washington due to injury, but other than that he was good at getting to QB. He's been solid in Tennessee now.

We can help each other out. Brandin Cooks for Brian Orakpo. We get an immediate, PROVEN, Pass Rusher that we desperately need. Tennessee gets a young, phenomenal (and proven) talent for their young franchise QB Marcus Mariota.

Boom, make it happen Loomis.

 

[BoNcHiE]

We can help each other out. Brandin Cooks for Brian Orakpo. We get an immediate, PROVEN, Pass Rusher that we desperately need. Tennessee gets a young, phenomenal (and proven) talent for their young franchise QB Marcus Mariota.

Boom, make it happen Loomis.

We'd be getting absolutely hosed.

Cooks is 23 years old and still on his relatively cheap rookie deal for the next two seasons. Orakpo turns 31 in July and has a cap hit of 8+ million the next two years before he becomes a FA.

And you'd have to hope he didn't turn his career around simply because the Titans have a bunch of talent around him.