Brandin Cooks' return to the New Orleans Saints, the team that drafted No. 20 overall in 2014, didn't last a full season. The 32-year-old wide receiver, in a surprise move for a needy rebuilding team, was released on Wednesday.
Cooks lasted only 10 games with the Saints in 2025 in his reunion with offensive-minded head coach Kellen Moore, his coordinator for the Cowboys the previous two seasons. In between his Saints stints, Cooks also played for the Patriots, Rams and Texans.
He has been very productive for such a well-traveled receiver with 729 receptions for 9,697 in his versatile career.
Here's looking at where Cooks would best fit, extending his career with a sixth team, or one on which he's already played:
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5. New York Giants
The Giants have had some injuries hit them hard at wide receiver, with Malik Nabers done for the season and Darius Slayton often on the shelf. They could help rookie QB sensation Jaxson Dart further his rapid passing development with another weapon to help Wan'Dale Robinson and tight end Theo Johnson. New York also has Tim Kelly, Cooks' former Texans offensive coordinator, serving as the OC under interim head coach Mike Kafka.
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4. New England Patriots
The Patriots have Josh McDaniels back as their offensive coordinator and Cooks had one productive season there in 2017 under McDaniels after being traded by the Saints. Cooks was great as a younger target for Tom Brady and his experience should be welcome, along with Stefon Diggs to further boost Drake Maye.
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3. Denver Broncos
While Kelly represents a Payton surrogate, here's the direct line to Payton and Pete Carmichael Jr., Cooks' initial offensive braintrust in New Orleans. The Broncos need some help to support Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin with some injury issues for Marvin Mims Jr. Cooks also can help with the short-area extension of the running game with JK Dobbins down for the season.
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2. Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers is seeing DK Metcalf get tight coverage and between options such as Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson, there's little else at wide receiver, forcing the team to get deeper with tight ends in the passing games. Cooks would be a good solution to boost the No. 2 depth chart with his savvy to get open for Rodgers (or Mason Rudolph) in key situations all over the field, playing well off the attention Metcalf gets.
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1. Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is short on wide receivers and his weapons are getting thinner with second-year man Keon Coleman being unreliable and field-stretching tight end Dalton Kincaid hamstrung. Cooks would be a natural fit to deliver in a variety of situations with big-play pop and open-field after-catch skills. He would fare well in Joe Brady's offense, given Brady's ties to Sean Payton and the Saints.
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