When the New Orleans Saints drafted Brandin Cooks in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, they certainly thought that he would be in the black and gold at this point in his career. However, they did not feel that it would be after an eight-season gap, during which he played for four other teams in between.
Saints and Brandin Cooks Agree To Part Ways
It was announced today that the Saints and Cooks came together and agreed to part ways. Cooks played in 10 games this season and had 165 yards on 19 receptions. He also had a 76% catch rate, which was the highest mark he has achieved since his rookie season.
The Saints and Brandin Cooks have mutually agreed to part ways, according to a source. Cooks will be a free agent
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) November 19, 2025
His role was diminishing on a team that had traded away Rashid Shaheed, and it can be assumed that he thought he would receive more work after that trade. However, now he is on waivers, and if he clears as expected, he will be free to sign with any team in the NFL.
In total, Cooks played in 52 games for New Orleans and had 3,026 yards on 234 catches and 20 touchdowns. Look for him to fill a depth role on a team with playoff aspirations.
Where Will He Play Next?
While being a free agent at this point might not have been the plan for Cooks at this point of the year, he has been more than good enough for another team to take a shot on. He ranks as the 59th-best wide receiver in the NFL, per PFSN Wide Receiver Impact, with a C- grade.
Teams that could make a move for his services include the Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, and Denver Broncos. These teams all have a glaring need at wide receiver that everyone thought would be addressed at the trade deadline, but they did not bring in anybody at the position.
The Steelers and 49ers make sense because they are very shallow at wide receiver and are in strong positions in the standings, but could be hampered if they lose any of their currently active receivers for a significant amount of time. San Francisco has had a lot of injuries and cannot rely on those players to be impactful immediately; they clearly aren’t rushing them back.
The Broncos are a team to especially look out for, as Sean Payton has had no problem reuniting with his old draft picks in New Orleans, as evidenced by the fact that they currently have Adam Trautman, Will Lutz, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey on their roster.
