The Buffalo Bills have dropped two of their last three, and outside of Josh Allen’s Week 11 masterclass, the offense has looked extremely one-dimensional. With the wide receiver room struggling to provide steady production and lacking reliable talent, Buffalo is turning to a proven veteran, signing Brandin Cooks to the active roster.
What Does Brandin Cooks Bring to Buffalo?
Throughout his 12-year career, Brandin Cooks has been a receiver that teams can consistently count on. He has totaled 729 receptions, 9,697 receiving yards, and 60 TDs, along with six 1,000-yard seasons across four different teams. He’s also scored at least five touchdowns in five separate stops.
Cooks brings valuable postseason experience as well, having appeared in two Super Bowls with the Patriots in 2017 and the Rams in 2018.
Now in 2025, Cooks, at 32, isn’t quite the explosive playmaker he once was. Across ten games this season, he has posted minimal production, recording 19 catches for 165 yards and no scores.
He signed with his former team, the New Orleans Saints, this past offseason, likely with hopes of a farewell tour in what could be his final year. But with the Saints entering a rebuilding phase and focusing on younger talent, Cooks no longer fits into their long-term picture.
That became clear ahead of Week 12, when Adam Schefter reported that Cooks and the Saints mutually agreed to part ways. It wasn’t the storybook ending Cooks envisioned, but it opened the door for him to choose his next destination.
That destination ultimately turned out to be the Buffalo Bills, according to Schefter on Tuesday. Not a bad consolation prize, since the move gives Cooks a legitimate chance to compete for a championship alongside reigning MVP Josh Allen.
Bills signed WR Brandin Cooks. pic.twitter.com/q28nSAtujq
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 25, 2025
Bills Updated Receiving Corps
With Cooks joining the mix, Buffalo now has seven active wide receivers, headlined by Khalil Shakir, PFSN’s 16th-ranked WR in the Impact metric.
#Bills updated WR room:
– Khalil Shakir
– Joshua Palmer
– Brandin Cooks
– Keon Coleman
– Tyrell Shavers
– Elijah Moore
– Curtis Samuel
– Gabe Davis (P-Squad)
– Stephen Gosnell (P-Squad) https://t.co/WOwgkJ1ZBC— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 25, 2025
Shakir is the team’s top target earner, operating primarily out of the slot and thriving as a motion or gadget-type receiver.
Keon Coleman, primarily an outside jump-ball threat, is second in line, though recent off-field issues and lack of production have opened the door for veteran Gabe Davis to see more work in his place.
The rest of the group doesn’t bring a ton of consistency. Josh Palmer has been quiet, Tyrell Shavers only flashes occasionally, and Curtis Samuel and Elijah Moore function more as complementary gadget options behind Shakir.
Cooks likely won’t be a focal point of the offense, but don’t rule out him seeing 40 to 50 percent of the snaps while rotating between the slot and boundary, using his speed and strong hands to give Buffalo another trustworthy option.
There’s truly no downside to this move. The addition of a proven receiver gives the Bills another steady option in the passing attack as they prepare for a late-season push and a potential postseason run.
