Patriots Aquire Receiver Brandin Cooks From Saints for Top Draft Pick

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Saturday, March 11, 2017

Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team

The New England Patriots acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks in a trade with the New Orleans Saints on Friday night.

For more on Cooks, see the charts below.

In exchange for Cooks, the Patriots send their 2017 first (32nd overall) and third round (103 overall) picks to the Saints. New England also gets the Saints fourth round pick (118th overall) in the deal.

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Brandin Cooks

Cooks, 23 years-old, was taken 20th overall in the 2014 NFL draft and has one year remaining on his rookie contract with a fifth year team option.

He will be the sixth youngest player on the Patriots roster, two months younger than Malcolm Mitchell.

Last season, Cooks finished with a career high 1,173 yards on 78 catches and eight touchdowns playing with the Saints.

In 2015, Cooks hauled in 84 catches for 1,138 yards and nine touchdowns.

Giving the Patriots and Tom Brady a weapon like Brandin Cooks is like giving Darth Vader the keys to the Millennium Falcon. Not fair.
— Adam Rank (@adamrank) March 11, 2017

Malcolm Butler Speculation

Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler had been part of trade rumors tied to Cooks especially after the Patriots signing of cornerback Stephon Gilmore on the first day of free agency.

Butler is a restricted free agent and has been tendered an offer of $3.91 million, but has yet to sign it, according to ESPN. Players aren’t allowed to be traded if they aren’t under contract.

Saints and Patriots still could consider a trade later on for CB Malcolm Butler, whose name arose in talks for WR Brandin Cooks, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 11, 2017

Patriots Shopping Spree

Cooks was not the only trade that the Patriots made on Friday.

Earlier in the day, the Patriots acquired defensive end Kony Ealy from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for their 2017 second round pick and the Panthers third round pick.

Ealy was taken two picks before Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the 2014 NFL draft.

The Patriots signed tight end Dwayne Allen to replace Marcellus Bennett, who has since signed with Green Bay, and Gilmore on Thursday.

Patriots' offseason haul thus far: WR Brandin Cooks, DE Kony Ealy, TE Dwayne Allen, CB Stephon Gilmore.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 11, 2017

16 Plays That Define the Patriots 2016 Season Regular Season - in Vines

Jimmy Garoppolo Starts the Season

With Tom Brady suspended for four games, backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo started the season in Arizona. He immediately made his presence known with this 37 yard touchdown pass to Chris Hogan.

The Patriots edged Arizona 23-21.

LeGarrette Blount Leaps Over a Dolphins Player

LeGarrette Blount took a toss from rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett and proceeded to make an Olympic hurdle type leap over Dolphins' defensive back Byron Maxwell and pick up the first down

Blount ran for 123 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

Garoppolo Dominates Miami

In the Patriots home opener against the rival Miami Dolphins, Garoppolo was dominant, completing 18 of 27 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns, including this one to Danny Amendola.

Garoppolo would get injured just before halftime and the Patriots would hold on to win 31-24.

Tom Brady Returns

After serving his four game suspension, Brady returned in week five against the Cleveland Browns.

Brady showed some emotion after a run toward the Cleveland sideline for a first down.

Dont'a Hightower

Hightower's big hit on Browns quarterback Cody Kessler knocked him out of the game. The next week, Hightower would sack Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton in the end zone for a safety and change the momentum of that game.

So far this season, Hightower has 1.5 sacks, one safety, 14 solo tackles and one pass defensed in six games played.

Brady to Bennett

In his first game back, Brady found tight end Martellus Bennett in the end zone three times to help the Patriots to a 33-13 win over the Browns.

Bennett had six catches for 67 yards and three touchdowns in the game.

Tom Brady Plays First Game Back at Gillette

Brady made his return to the Patriots in the previous game on the road against Cleveland, but his first game back at Gillette Stadium came against the Bengals.

Brady hit running back James White for his first touchdown pass of the day and New England won 35-17.

He finished the game completing 29 of 35 passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns.

Gronkowski Catches 69th Career Touchdown Pass

Rob Gronkowski's record-breaking touchdown came near the end of the first half against Buffalo on a 53-yard strike over the middle from Brady giving the Patriots a 21-10 lead.

Gronkowski Injured on Hit by Seattle's Earl Thomas

Near the end of the 2nd quarter of the Patriots game against Seattle, Earl Thomas hit Rob Gronkowski square in the chest. Just two weeks later, it would be announced that Gronkowski would be out for the season.

The Patriots lost to Seattle 31-24

Brady Nearly Fumbles Against Jets, Throws Touchdown to Mitchell

Trailing 10-3 and on the Jets five-yard line, Brady fumbled the snap picked it up and found Malcolm Mitchell in the back of the end zone for a touchdown to tie the game at ten following a Gostkowski extra point.

The Patriots would go on to win 22-17.

Tom Brady Kneels on Win #201

With the Patriots 26-10 win over the LA Rams on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium, Brady picked up career win number 201 of his career, passing Peyton Manning for the most all-time.

Shea McClellin Blocks Ravens Field Goal

The Ravens threatened to take the lead, 3-2, midway through the first quarter on a field goal attempt by kicker Justin Tucker, but New England's Shea McClellin jumped over the center and got the block. The Patriots offense scored a touchdown on their ensuing possession to take a 9-0 lead.

The Patriots would go on to win the game 30-23.

Blount Breaks Curtis Martin's Record for Rushing TDs in a Season

Running back LeGarrette Blount recorded his 15th rushing touchdown of the season in the Patriots win over Denver. With the score, he passed Curtis Martin for most rushing touchdowns in a season.

The Patriots beat Denver 16-3 to clinch AFC East.

McCourty's Hit on DeMaryius Thomas

On a fourth and 2, Devin McCourty put an end to Denver's come come back hopes with this hit on DeMaryius Thomas that forced him to drop the ball.

Had Thomas made the catch, the Broncos would have likely scored on the drive, making the final minutes a little more nervewracking.

Matt Lengel Catches First Touchdown Pass

Lengel came over to the Patriots from the Bengals practice squad and had never caught a touchdown pass in his career.

Already up 13-0, Tom Brady hit Lengel over the middle for an 18-yard touchdown pass to give the Patriots a 20-0 lead. It was Lengel's first catch, first target, and first touchdown.

The Patriots would go on to beat the Jets 41-3.