The New England Patriots just won the Super Bowl without their best receiving threat in tight end Rob Gronkowski. In 2017, Tom Brady will get back Gronkowski, and will also have a new toy in wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
ESPN’s Dianna Russini reports that the Patriots have acquired Cooks and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 118) from the New Orleans Saints, in exchange for a first (No. 32) and third-round pick (No. 103) in 2017:
TRADE! The Patriots have traded their #32 & 3rd #103 pick to the Saints for wide receiver Brandin Cooks & their 4th #118 pick per sources
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) March 11, 2017
One reason Brandin Cooks traded now is he had a $781,599 roster bonus due on 5th day of league year – Monday. Now Patriots responsibility.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2017
While it’s a blockbuster trade, it’s not all that surprising as the two teams have been rumored to be talking over the last week. And on Thursday, NFL.Com’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Saints were looking to deal Cooks, with the Patriots and Tennessee Titans being the most likely destinations:
The belief is that the #Saints will be able to trade away WR Brandin Cooks by this afternoon. #Patriots, #Titans remain in the mix.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2017
In Cooks, the Patriots are getting a proven wide receiver that is still very young at 23 years old. Cooks has back-to-back seasons of 1,100+ receiving yards, combining for 17 touchdowns over those two years. The 5’10” former first-round pick out of Oregon State is an explosive playmaker capable of lining up all over the field at wide receiver, and you know the Patriots will get the most out of his abilities as they do with just about everyone.
The Patriots’ offense was already plenty good enough, and now it’s much more dangerous on paper:
Brady throwing to …
Gronk
Edelman
Cooks
Hogan
Mitchell
Allen
White
Lewis— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) March 11, 2017
Brandin Cooks, Gronk, Edelman, Hogan, Mitchell, James White, Dion Lewis, Dwayne Allen. Good luck defending those pass catchers.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 11, 2017
Giving the Patriots and Tom Brady a weapon like Brandin Cooks is like giving Darth Vader the keys to the Millennium Falcon. Not fair.
— Adam Rank (@adamrank) March 11, 2017
The move comes after the Patriots acquired pass-rushing defensive end Kony Ealy and a third-round pick earlier in the day from the Carolina Panthers, in exchange for a second-round pick. It’s been incredible work — as usual — from Bill Belichick.
In total: The #Patriots gave up the 32nd pick, No. 64 & No. 103 for Brandin Cooks, Kony Ealy & the 72nd pick. Bill Belichick is a wizard.
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) March 11, 2017
Patriots' offseason haul thus far: WR Brandin Cooks, DE Kony Ealy, TE Dwayne Allen, CB Stephon Gilmore.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 11, 2017
It’s just scary how good that team looks right now, and they will clearly be the NFL team to beat entering 2017 (and likely entering January of 2018).
As for the Saints, Drew Brees probably isn’t too thrilled to lose his top receiver and can’t be too patient at 38 years old, but New Orleans is now loaded with picks early in the 2017 draft:
On the bright side, the #Saints now have three of the first 42 picks and five of the top 103 in one of the deepest drafts in years.
— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) March 11, 2017
