According to a report from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, the Eagles are one of the two interested suitors for acquiring Saints WR, Brandin Cooks..with the other being Tennessee.
Saints WR Brandin Cooks is the object of trade talks with the Titans and Eagles identified as two interested suitors, per league sources.
— Chris Mortensen (@mortreport) March 2, 2017
This link has been strong for quite some time and after Howie Roseman stated his intentions of being very meticulous with free agency signings, the prospect of Brandin Cooks seems much more plausible. The report finds even more credibility in the way of a tweet from Adam Caplan, who has strong ties with the Eagles.
The two players #Eagles keyed on in first round in 2014 draft were Cooks and Clinton-Dix (both were drafted before they picked at #26.).
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) March 2, 2017
One of the few wide receivers linked with a potential trade to the Eagles thus far has been Brandin Cooks, but this scenario goes far beyond the Eagles need for a wideout.
The Saints desperately need help rushing the passer. They had just 30 sacks in 2016, ranking them 27th in the NFL and while their secondary isn’t exactly glowing either, the need for some dominant edge rushers is glaring.
The Eagles are in a strange situation at the moment. Some reports suggest that Connor Barwin is nearing the end of his Eagles career, while others suggest that depth rushers Marcus Smith and Bryan Braman could be in the same boat. The birds need to take full advantage of their abundance of talent on the outside, even if some of it has been underutilized or is regarded by some as dispensable.
Cooks finished the season with 1,173 receiving yards in just 12 games. The deep-threat receiver is exactly what the Eagles crave, a young wideout who can grow with Wentz. With catches of 20+ in all but 3 starts, Cooks flourished in 2016, but the Saints have plenty of talented receivers around him, potentially softening the blow of his loss.
It will be interesting to see how this story develops, especially since the Eagles intent to sign a “star” who would command a high-price seems to have diminished. Could Cooks be the missing piece in the Eagles puzzle? Potentially. But as noted, they’re not the only team with the former Oregon State standout in mind.
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
