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Saints Bringing Back Brandin Cooks, New Orleans's First-Round Pick in 2014

Tim Capurso

Cooks reacts after scoring a touchdown.
Cooks reacts after scoring a touchdown. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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The New Orleans Saints are finalizing a deal with wide receiver Brandin Cooks, according to multiple reports. Saints beat writer Nick Underhill was first to report the news. Cooks's deal is two years in length and worth $13 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Cooks, an 11-year NFL veteran, was drafted by the Saints back in 2014 and spent the first three seasons of his career with the franchise. Cooks's rookie season in New Orleans was limited to just seven games after he broke his thumb. But the Stockton, Calif. native enjoyed a breakout campaign in '15, tallying 84 receptions for 1,138 yards receiving and nine touchdowns.

Cooks eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark five times over the next six seasons, despite bouncing between the Saints, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans, while developing a reputation as one of the most dependable veteran wideouts in the league.

Most recently, Cooks spent the '23 and '24 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He was limited to just 10 games this past season after developing an infection in his knee that stemmed from a procedure to fix a meniscus issue.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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