Per reports it appears Brandin Cooks could be on the move yet again. The New Orleans Saints selected the talented wideout in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft and Cooks spent his first three NFL seasons with the Saints. New Orleans then traded Cooks to the New England Patriots in 2017 for a first-round pick. The Los Angeles Rams then acquired Cooks from the Pats for a first-round pick in 2018. And it now looks like the Rams are ready to move on from Brandin Cooks.
Brandin Cooks Should Be Trade Target for Green Bay Packers
Production
Brandin Cooks has been a productive wide receiver during his first six NFL seasons. From 2015-2018 he put up four consecutive 1,000-plus receiving yard seasons. For his career he has 5,730 receiving yards, 402 receptions and 34 touchdowns. In his rookie season Cooks averaged 10.4 yards per catch, but he’s averaged at least 13 yards per catch in every season since. From 2016-2018 he actually averaged at least 15 yards per catch.
Injuries and Durability
Throughout his relatively short NFL career Cooks has been healthy and available. From 2015-2018 he didn’t miss a single game and he missed only two games in 2019. But, the caveat to the two missed games in 2019 (and it’s a big caveat) is that Cooks missed those two games with a concussion, which was his fifth known concussion.
Compensation
The last two times Cooks was traded he went for a first-round pick. But there is zero chance the Rams receive a first-round pick in return for Cooks. Aside from the concussion issues he’s due $8 million in base salary and a $4 million roster bonus in 2020. But a team could acquire Cooks for a second-round pick and the Packers have the 62nd pick in the draft this year.
Need at Receiver
The Green Bay Packers need help at receiver. They have some talented receivers on the roster, including Davante Adams, but they certainly need to add a play maker or two at the position. Last season showed that Green Bay hasn’t provided Aaron Rodgers enough weapons.
Last season Adams had 83 receptions for 997 yards and five touchdowns and he led all Packers receivers in all of those categories. The next highest receiver in terms of yards last season was Allen Lazard, with 477 receiving yards. The next highest Packer in terms of receptions was running back Aaron Jones.
While Cooks did have a down year in 2019 (42 receptions for 583 yards and two touchdowns) he is still an upgrade over any Green Bay receiver not named Davante Adams. The Packers also dealt with injuries at the wide receiver position in 2019 and acquiring Cooks would also add depth to their receiving corps.
The Packers certainly shouldn’t give up a lot to get Woods, but if they could acquire him for their second-round or third-round pick this year they should make the move. The NFL is a passing league right now. The rules have somewhat dictated that. The Packers have a great, future Hall of Fame quarterback in Rodgers and they need to surround him with more weapons. Adding Cooks would be a step in that direction. Rodgers isn’t getting any younger and the Packers should be all in on trying to take make the most out of the remaining time he is under center for them.
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