A Brandin Cooks reunion in New Orleans was never one that seemed particularly close to happening since he was traded out of town ahead of the 2017 season, but he still never ruled it out.
Things did seem a bit acrimonious when the 2014 first-round draft pick was sent packing, but as Cooks explained this week, the two sides wished each other well and moved on, both finding success quickly in the aftermath.
“You always ... keep the bridge there," Cooks said. "You just never know, right? Especially in my career, just some of the changes. … You never count that out, for sure.”
Cooks landed with Tom Brady and the Patriots, joining a team that went 13-3 and to the Super Bowl, where they lost the Eagles. He was traded the following offseason and landed with the, appearing in yet another Super Bowl the following year, this time losing to the Patriots.
Cooks has logged six 1,000-yard seasons in his career, though the most recent came in 2021 with the Texans. The 31-year-old is coming off his least productive season to date, though one that was marred with a knee injury and 7 games missed in his second year with the Cowboys.
The Saints, meanwhile, used the first-round pick acquired in the trade to draft Ryan Ramczyk and went on to win the most games in the NFL over the ensuing four seasons, though their best chance to return to the Super Bowl was thwarted by Cooks' Rams team and aided by an egregious no-call late in the game.
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When thinking back, Cooks remembers the record-setting offenses from that era as he served one of Drew Brees' top targets. A full 9 years removed from famously speaking the line "closed mouths don't get fed" after a blowout win over the Rams (yes, another Rams mention), Cooks sees his maturity as a strength. It's all part of the process.
"I think both sides have benefitted from [the trade] tremendously, a lot of great players have came through," Cooks said. "I went and had success. The team has had success. No regrets."
While technically a reunion, the team Cooks' is rejoining couldn't be much different. None of the coaches from 2016 remain, and only Cam Jordan bridges those two rosters from a player perspective. Mickey Loomis still leads the Saints front office, but the faces around him have virtually all changed.
The new offense Cooks joins will be led by Kellen Moore, and while Cooks doesn't have a defined role quite yet, that's something he's eager to learn once OTAs hit this summer.
One of the more significant connections comes in the form of Saints WRs coach Keith Williams. Cooks grew up in Stockton, California, while Williams in Lodi about 20 minutes away. Cooks said Williams had been trying to recruit him to Fresno State back in the day, but the young Cooks had his eyes on bigger programs and ultimately went to Oregon State where he developed into a star and won the Fred Biletnikoff award handed to the nation's top receiver. Williams is one of the few holdovers from Dennis Allen's previous staff and was immensely popular within the WR room.
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"I look forward to [working together], because I really do believe he’s the best receiver coach in the league," Cooks said.
Another connection comes in the form of QB Derek Carr, who was drafted 16 spots after Cooks in 2014.
"I’ve known Derek for a long time, from northern California as well," Cooks said. "He can throw any ball, tough cat and a great leader."
Cooks will now join Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Cedrick Wilson and others in the Saints WR room, a group that he praised and is eager to get on the field with. He said the leadership qualities gained from 11 years in the NFL and across four other franchises will show well in his return.
When asked if he'd developed as a receiver since leaving, he was quick to respond, but kept things simple.
“Oh, absolutely," Cooks said. "I really believe that. I’m not gonna comment too much on it. ... We’re gonna see this season, no doubt.”