Brandin Cooks - What's Not To Love?

[49ersFaithful80]

Cooks is just one of those players that always has, and always will be doubted. I'm just used to it at this point. Let's quickly go over his career so far in contrast to what his haters have predicted.

1. Going into his rookie year - Too short, will never be a WR1 in the NFL. Goes on to catch 53 balls in 10 games before a fluky wrist injury ends his season.

2. Going into this 2nd year - Marques Colston is still the clear-cut WR1, he's still too short to ever be a WR1. Goes on to post WR1 numbers and dwarf Colston's production.

3. Going into last year - 2015 was a fluke, too small be a WR1. Michael Thomas will outproduce him. Goes on to finish the season as the WR8 and outproduce Michael Thomas all while getting a pathetically small amount of targets in relation to other top WRs.

Brandin Cooks is very good at football and he IS a WR1.

He would obviously see drop off in efficiency if he were to go to Tennessee or Philly but it would be more than made up for by the fact that he would actually for the first time in his career become the focal point of an offense. More targets and catches, less 80 yard touchdowns.

[pvillebiker]

Cooks for Jimmy G straight up. Helps both teams quite a bit. Surprised nobody's in the main stream has floated that one yet.

[Grizzly]

If Cooks leaves NO I am not buying until I see production. Don't own stock of him but not thrilled about him leaving that offense or the dome atmosphere. I think he is good but we have likely seen his ceiling IMO.

[cornhole2412]

Cooks is just one of those players that always has, and always will be doubted. I'm just used to it at this point. Let's quickly go over his career so far in contrast to what his haters have predicted.

1. Going into his rookie year - Too short, will never be a WR1 in the NFL. Goes on to catch 53 balls in 10 games before a fluky wrist injury ends his season.

2. Going into this 2nd year - Marques Colston is still the clear-cut WR1, he's still too short to ever be a WR1. Goes on to post WR1 numbers and dwarf Colston's production.

3. Going into last year - 2015 was a fluke, too small be a WR1. Michael Thomas will outproduce him. Goes on to finish the season as the WR8 and outproduce Michael Thomas all while getting a pathetically small amount of targets in relation to other top WRs.

Brandin Cooks is very good at football and he IS a WR1.

He would obviously see drop off in efficiency if he were to go to Tennessee or Philly but it would be more than made up for by the fact that he would actually for the first time in his career become the focal point of an offense. More targets and catches, less 80 yard touchdowns.

Cornhole2412 like this

You have to have a spy on Mariota or he's taking 20. An extra man in the box for Demarco and Henry... and some poor corner is gonna be buying stock in athletic tape for all the ankle breaking thats gonna happen.

[flyersfan1981]

Cooks for Jimmy G straight up. Helps both teams quite a bit. Surprised nobody's in the main stream has floated that one yet.

Graham? Garoppollo? Regardless of which one you meant, it doesn't make sense for NO in either scenario...like not at all!

[nathanq42]

Id like to see cooks in a new environment, yes he has a top 15 all time qb, but his usage is so sporadic he can't get much done.
I think either philly or TEN would be a decent landing spot, and a lot of space for both teams to improve.

[dawgs4life]

As much as player hit and bust in the 1st round of the NFL draft why would a team not spend a 1st rounder to aquire a WR who has shown in the NFL? Guess I don't understand why these type of trades don't go down more often in real life.

[pvillebiker]

Cooks for Jimmy G straight up. Helps both teams quite a bit. Surprised nobody's in the main stream has floated that one yet.

Graham? Garoppollo? Regardless of which one you meant, it doesn't make sense for NO in either scenario...like not at all!

Sorry, shoulda been clearer. I meant Jimmy Garoppolo. If you've heard the NO landing spot theory for Garoppolo, it may make more sense. Not sure I fully buy it, but that theory goes that the Saints would get Jimmy G now and have control of him for both '17 and '18. Very likely Brees is close to done somewhere in there. It would give NO their QB of the future (apparently Payton is high on Jimmy). As you've probably heard the asking price for Jimmy G is supposedly "at least a 1st". And the asking price for Cooks is similar.

I think it could make a ton of sense if NO really does like Garoppolo that much. And of course if the Pats have a similar 1st round grade on Cooks. Imagine what Cooks could do in the Pats offense with Edelman & possibly Gronk both close to losing a step already.

It seems pretty obvious to me that one of the key drivers of the Saints wanting to move Cooks is to avoid next year's contract showdown. They're trying to get value for him now while they can. All speculation on my part though.

[FeartheRavens06]

As much as player hit and bust in the 1st round of the NFL draft why would a team not spend a 1st rounder to aquire a WR who has shown in the NFL? Guess I don't understand why these type of trades don't go down more often in real life.

Probably because most of the time the player has been in the league a few years and is due for a new contract soon...and will want big money that a team may not be willing to pay. Whereas you can get a rookie for 4 years on the cheap

[briank]

They both seem like a good fit.

[flyersfan1981]

Cooks for Jimmy G straight up. Helps both teams quite a bit. Surprised nobody's in the main stream has floated that one yet.

Graham? Garoppollo? Regardless of which one you meant, it doesn't make sense for NO in either scenario...like not at all!

Sorry, shoulda been clearer. I meant Jimmy Garoppolo. If you've heard the NO landing spot theory for Garoppolo, it may make more sense. Not sure I fully buy it, but that theory goes that the Saints would get Jimmy G now and have control of him for both '17 and '18. Very likely Brees is close to done somewhere in there. It would give NO their QB of the future (apparently Payton is high on Jimmy). As you've probably heard the asking price for Jimmy G is supposedly "at least a 1st". And the asking price for Cooks is similar.

I think it could make a ton of sense if NO really does like Garoppolo that much. And of course if the Pats have a similar 1st round grade on Cooks. Imagine what Cooks could do in the Pats offense with Edelman & possibly Gronk both close to losing a step already.

It seems pretty obvious to me that one of the key drivers of the Saints wanting to move Cooks is to avoid next year's contract showdown. They're trying to get value for him now while they can. All speculation on my part though.

Well that would just be stupid for NO. Brees is going to play for at least 2017, and probably 2018 (maybe one more year after in 2019). Garopollo is a free agent after the 2017 season, so not sure why NO would give up a starting WR for a backup QB without any guarantee he even stays in NO. I mean why would he stay in NO to back up Brees in 2018 if he can get a job as a starter in free agency? NO would be better off drafting a QB from the loaded 2018 class and grooming him for a year or two under Brees.

I just don't get it from the NO perspective.

[pvillebiker]

Graham? Garoppollo? Regardless of which one you meant, it doesn't make sense for NO in either scenario...like not at all!

Sorry, shoulda been clearer. I meant Jimmy Garoppolo. If you've heard the NO landing spot theory for Garoppolo, it may make more sense. Not sure I fully buy it, but that theory goes that the Saints would get Jimmy G now and have control of him for both '17 and '18. Very likely Brees is close to done somewhere in there. It would give NO their QB of the future (apparently Payton is high on Jimmy). As you've probably heard the asking price for Jimmy G is supposedly "at least a 1st". And the asking price for Cooks is similar.

I think it could make a ton of sense if NO really does like Garoppolo that much. And of course if the Pats have a similar 1st round grade on Cooks. Imagine what Cooks could do in the Pats offense with Edelman & possibly Gronk both close to losing a step already.

It seems pretty obvious to me that one of the key drivers of the Saints wanting to move Cooks is to avoid next year's contract showdown. They're trying to get value for him now while they can. All speculation on my part though.

Well that would just be stupid for NO. Brees is going to play for at least 2017, and probably 2018 (maybe one more year after in 2019). Garopollo is a free agent after the 2017 season, so not sure why NO would give up a starting WR for a backup QB without any guarantee he even stays in NO. I mean why would he stay in NO to back up Brees in 2018 if he can get a job as a starter in free agency? NO would be better off drafting a QB from the loaded 2018 class and grooming him for a year or two under Brees.

I just don't get it from the NO perspective.

Guess it depends on assumptions made on things like how long Brees will really be in NO, how much Payton really wants Garoppolo, etc. It's not hard to imagine a scenario wherein it makes lots of sense. For instance, if this is Brees' last year in NO, they bring Jimmy in with idea he is the successor for following season. Why wouldn't he want a long term deal (next year) in that case. Again, all speculation on my part. I think the Saints are likely more committed to using the Cooks proceeds to improve their defense.

Look what I just saw! Talk about timing. At least now we know the Pats were (are?) interested in Cooks.

https://twitter.com/nfltrade_rumors/sta ... 3956823041

[Valhalla]

Pats would be pretty sweet to see...but it seems that the Saints will hold Cooks until the draft at least to see if they can garner a higher 1st.

[Valhalla]

I saw someone say it somewhere (not going to look for it now...maybe even in this thread) that Wentz throws a ton of attempts so Cooks should do well there.
Wentz threw 607 attempts. Brees threw 673.
Wentz completed 379. Brees completed 471. Albeit to MUCH better targets...
Cooks got 117 targets in 2016. Thomas got 121. Wentz' top WR, Matthews, got 117 targets in 2016.

It seems to me that if he became an Eagle, he'd just move from sharing with Thomas to sharing with Matthews...with a downgraded QB. I'm not sure his target volume would take a jump whatsoever.

[zeeshan2]

John Hendrix @JohnJHendrix
I'm told the #Titans offered the #Saints the No. 18 overall pick for Brandin Cooks, and it was turned down, per source.
10:41 AM - 8 Mar 2017