Brandin Cooks trade rumors: 5 Teams that should deal with Rams

New Orleans Saints

What better place for Brandin Cooks to go than where it all started? The New Orleans Saints could use another wide receiver to pair with Michael Thomas, as no player other than Thomas surpassed 750 receiving yards for the Saints in 2019. The closest wide receiver to that total was Ted Ginn Jr., who caught 30 balls for 421 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Cooks would immediately solve that problem and take over as the No. 2 wide receiver in Sean Payton’s offense. He already has a rapport with Drew Brees and has been successful in playing alongside Thomas. He would fit seamlessly back in this scheme and give Brees the deep threat he has been sorely lacking.

While he had a down 2019 season, Cooks’ days of high-level efficiency and production were not too long ago. In his 2018 season, the Rams wideout ranked in the top-15 in air yards, yards per target and total target distance among all wide receivers. The same can’t be said for the Saints’ current deep threat, as Ginn has never surpassed 800 receiving yards in his entire career; he is not a capable starting wide receiver.

A reunion would benefit both sides, as Brees gets a familiar weapon for one more title run and Cooks returns to the franchise where he has had the most success in his young career. He would immediately open up the field for the Saints’ other weapons and benefit off of the bracket coverage on Michael Thomas. Cooks could easily go back to his 1,000-yard receiver status if he returned to New Orleans.