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Patriots Trade For New Orleans WR Brandin Cooks, Give Up 1st Rd Pick

Steve Balestrieri

March 10, 2017 at 8:31 pm ET

Patriots Trade For New Orleans WR Brandin Cooks, Give Up 1st Rd Pick

(PHOTO: Chuck Cook - USA TODAY Sports)

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The Patriots made another big trade on Friday evening. Diana Russini of ESPN has reported the Patriots have landed WR Brandin Cooks from the New Orleans Saints and the Saints 4^th round draft pick #118 for the Patriots 1^st round pick, #32 and the Patriots third rounder #103.

Cooks was the subject of an earlier trade rumor concerning Patriots CB Malcolm Butler. Butler wasn’t included in the deal and now one must wonder if the Pats have mended their fences with Butler or is there another trade coming?

The Saints selected Cooks with the 20^th pick in the 1^st round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Oregon State. In 2016 he caught 78 passes for 1173 yards (15.0-yard average) and eight touchdowns including a 98-yarder from Drew Brees.

Cooks 23, will join a Patriots offense that features Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman with James White, and Dion Lewis out of the backfield. Brady had a 124.4 QB throwing the deep ball in 2016 to Chris Hogan. With Cooks now working the outside, the Patriots offense just got a lot more dangerous.

Bill Belichick raved about Cooks two years ago during the preseason, and Cooks’ performance during joint practices last year in Gillette did nothing to change his mind. The first day of practices, he had his way with Butler, which the corner freely admitted afterward. Now, Cooks joins New England and is on the final year of his rookie deal although the Patriots hold a fifth-year option.

This free agency period has been crazy thus far with a number of moves the Patriots are making….what’s next?

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About Steve Balestrieri

A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)