Pats Offer For Cooks Rejected

[BigKen]

What happens next?

The Patriots reportedly tried to trade for Saints receiver Brandin Cooks, but their offer wasn’t enough to get the Saints to pull the trigger.

According to NOLA.com’s Josh Katzenstein, the Saints rejected the Patriots’ offer of the No. 32 pick in this year’s draft in a package for Cooks. Katzenstein also reported that five teams in total have “made overtures” to the Saints, with the Titans and Eagles being two of those teams, which matches a report from earlier this week.

All three of those teams make sense, but the Patriots’ offer stands out the most, because imagining Cooks on the same roster as Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, James White, and Dion Lewis is like fantasizing about the perfect pizza. That offense would’ve featured every necessary ingredient: The greatest quarterback of all time (Brady), the most explosive tight end of all time (Gronk), the dependable underneath receiver (Edelman), pass-catching running backs (White and Lewis), and the home-run threat (Cooks).

Brady hasn’t had a deep threat at receiver in some time, and it’s worth noting that he improved his deep ball this past season. According to Pro Football Focus, Brady posted the NFL’s second-highest passer rating (124.4) on passes thrown at least 20 yards downfield. Cooks, 23, has averaged 81 catches, 1,155.5 yards, and 8.5 touchdowns per season since 2015. In that span, he’s also averaging 14.27 yards per reception.

That’s why the Patriots want to add Cooks to their already great offense. But that’s also probably why, if the report is true, the last pick in the first round wasn’t enough for the Saints.

“We think the world of him and his skill-set,” Saints coach Sean Payton told the team’s website earlier this week. “(Compensation for Cooks) would have to be something real significant.”

According to Katzenstein, the Saints want a pick in the middle of the first round, which is something the Patriots are lacking in this year’s draft. The Eagles and Titans, however, are slotted to pick 14th and 18th, respectively.

 

[Southieinnc]

No one is named in the "reports"
I think this is a leaked report that BB helped fuel the trade talks with Eagles and Titans, as a favor to Saints.....

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Hogan did a pretty nice job this year on deep throws. Malcolm Mitchell, still a work in progress, did fair on deep passes.
That said, I just can't see Bill wasting a 1st round pick on this guy. Bring back Floyd who brings a level of physicality that Cooks cannot. Bring in Brandon Marshall first.
A first rounder needs to be used on defense, or O line to keep Brady upright.

My 2 cents worth...

 

[NWPATSFAN]

Hogan did a pretty nice job this year on deep throws. Malcolm Mitchell, still a work in progress, did fair on deep passes.
That said, I just can't see Bill wasting a 1st round pick on this guy. Bring back Floyd who brings a level of physicality that Cooks cannot. Bring in Brandon Marshall first.
A first rounder needs to be used on defense, or O line to keep Brady upright.

My 2 cents worth...

Add DeSean Jackson and RB Adrian Peterson rumors NE can be very selective if they make any of these selections. But, I'm with you defense or Oline early and often.

 

[CreepCreep2014]

Need DE right now. Only have Flowers on the roster. Not sure I like Flowers, Nink and 2 rookies heading into camp. I think NE kicks the tires on Peppers like they did Long last yr. He said he wants to play again. It would be nice if NE signed Odrick and Peppers, then drafted a couple kids. This draft is pretty deep at DE from what I am reading.

Kind of funny...you hear Odrick was in NE, pass physical and that was it. Anyone know if he went on any other visits?

 

[cdumler7]

Need DE right now. Only have Flowers on the roster. Not sure I like Flowers, Nink and 2 rookies heading into camp. I think NE kicks the tires on Peppers like they did Long last yr. He said he wants to play again. It would be nice if NE signed Odrick and Peppers, then drafted a couple kids. This draft is pretty deep at DE from what I am reading.

Kind of funny...you hear Odrick was in NE, pass physical and that was it. Anyone know if he went on any other visits?

From what I have heard the Broncos are planning on bringing him in but wanted to wait and see how the whole Romo situation played out. Pretty much for the Broncos it is either sign Romo then go after Odrick or if they can't get Romo then go after Campbell.

 

[CreepCreep2014]

From what I have heard the Broncos are planning on bringing him in but wanted to wait and see how the whole Romo situation played out. Pretty much for the Broncos it is either sign Romo then go after Odrick or if they can't get Romo then go after Campbell.

I think he would be a good fit for both teams. Curious what he is looking for. I think NE might take a run at Campbell also, so maybe we each end up with one of them.

 

[cdumler7]

I think he would be a good fit for both teams. Curious what he is looking for. I think NE might take a run at Campbell also, so maybe we each end up with one of them.

Yeah I'm fine with either. Campbell is the better overall player but his price tag is around $14 million from what I have heard which is why the Broncos have an either/or situation depending on Romo.

 

[SDGuy73]

Yeah I'm fine with either. Campbell is the better overall player but his price tag is around $14 million from what I have heard which is why the Broncos have an either/or situation depending on Romo.

How do you feel about Romo being a Bronco? The dead pool on him will be high.

 

[cdumler7]

How do you feel about Romo being a Bronco? The dead pool on him will be high.

I'm kind of in between honestly. I'm a big Paxton Lynch fan so was excited to see what he could do but it doesn't sound like Romo is going to cost a whole lot (at least QB wise) so maybe worth another year of getting Paxton up to par and having a possible top-5 QB when healthy in Romo. Plus we are in need of some veteran leadership on offense and Romo brings that. I'm becoming more and more ok with it by the day.

 

[SDGuy73]

No one is named in the "reports"
I think this is a leaked report that BB helped fuel the trade talks with Eagles and Titans, as a favor to Saints.....

I'm with you. I think it's bullshit. The Pats giving up #32 for Cooks is stupid. He'll want to be paid after this season. Even though the Pats might have a team option for a 5th year. They wont pay him.

 

[BigKen]

Patriots reportedly consider trading Malcolm Butler for Saints WR Brandin Cooks


New England might be working on a blockbuster deal.
by Bernd Buchmasser@BerndBuchmasser Mar 9, 2017, 10:21am EST

Earlier today, it was reported that the New England Patriots have agreed to terms with free agency’s top cornerback, former Buffalo Bill Stephon Gilmore. The move, which reportedly will pay the 26-year old around $14.0 million per season, cast doubt on the future of the Patriots’ other cornerbacks, namely Logan Ryan (likely gone) and Malcolm Butler (read story title).

According to ESPN’s Dianna Russini, Butler’s future might be outside of New England:

The New England Patriots are considering trading Malcolm Butler to the New Orleans Saints for Brandin Cooks per sources

The Patriots have expressed interest in Cooks before and reportedly offered to trade the 32nd pick of this year’s draft to New Orleans. Apparently, they might trade something else worth a first rounder to the NFC South: Their number one cornerback, who has been tendered at the first round level.


With Gilmore on the roster, the deal would make sense for the Patriots. Still, it would be tough to see Butler leave Foxboro after making one of the greatest plays in NFL history to secure the team’s fourth Super Bowl title.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

I just do not see the draw for Cooks.

In BB I trust, but I do not see it.

With Hogan, Edelman, Mitchell, renegotiate Amendola and resign Floyd WR is not a position of need. Not by a long shot. And Cooks is not the second coming of Moss.

Unless Butler has been hanging around the locker room badmouthing Bill and saying the Pats will fail without him, I do not see the reason to not sign him to some decent money and field the best DB group in the league.

 

[bunchofpixels]

Brady seemed to really improve last year on the deep ball. With the interest in Cooks and Jackson, seems like the Patriots want to capitalize on that and add another dimension to the Patriots offense that they havent really had since 07. Cooks is certainly worth a late 1st round selection

 

[BigKen]

The Patriots and Saints are very close to closing a deal that the Saints would get Malcolm Butler and the Patriots would get Brandin Cooks.

It's a win-win for the Saints. They get rid of a potential salary problem in two years, but they get a possible All-Pro CB if Butler gets a contract offer that the Saints want to match or they get a first round draft pick. The draft pick would be better than the #32 the Patriots offered earlier in the week.

The Patriots get a 23 year old burner who can literally shift gears and leave defenders yards behind. He's a true downfield threat on every play, something Brady hasn't had since Randy Moss. Cooks would certainly make the Patriots offense a horrible thing to try to defend.

 

[Southieinnc]

The Patriots and Saints are very close to closing a deal that the Saints would get Malcolm Butler and the Patriots would get Brandin Cooks.

It's a win-win for the Saints. They get rid of a potential salary problem in two years, but they get a possible All-Pro CB if Butler gets a contract offer that the Saints want to match or they get a first round draft pick. The draft pick would be better than the #32 the Patriots offered earlier in the week.

The Patriots get a 23 year old burner who can literally shift gears and leave defenders yards behind. He's a true downfield threat on every play, something Brady hasn't had since Randy Moss. Cooks would certainly make the Patriots offense a horrible thing to try to defend.

Our inability to score in 3 quarters of the Superbowl win certainly opened some eyes. We play some excellent offenses this season. A downfield threat would be awesome. I don't want to see Butler go but he has been covering #2 receivers when #1 is tall. Can't afford to spend too much on him.

 

[GNG]

How do you feel about Romo being a Bronco? The dead pool on him will be high.

The Broncos OL is very weak.

 

[Southieinnc]

The Broncos OL is very weak.

Weaker than Romo's spine?

 

[GNG]

Weaker than Romo's spine?

As weak as your sense of humor.

 

[Southieinnc]

Cooks is a Patriot. So is Butler.
On to linebacker.....