Brandin Cooks Trade Destinations: 5 NFL teams that should make move for Saints WR before deadline ft. Miami Dolphins and more

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks has been traded four times in his 12-year NFL career. The veteran wideout is tied with running back Eric Dickerson and linebacker Kiko Alonso for the most trades in league history.

With the 2025 trade deadline around the corner, let's see five potential trade destinations for Cook. One more trade will see the Oregon State product become the outright record holder.

Top 5 potential Brandin Cooks landing spots ahead of trade deadline

1. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins will be without star wide receiver Tyreek Hill for the rest of the season. Hill suffered a serious injury setback in Week 4, and the perennial Pro Bowler's future in Miami is presently unclear.

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The Dolphins could use another veteran wide receiver to catch passes from Tua Tagovailoa in the meantime. That's where Brandin Cooks could come in.

Cooks has played for five teams in his NFL career, and he's occupied a variety of roles. His experience could help stabilize the Dolphins for the rest of the season while giving Tagovailoa a decent WR2 alongside current WR1 Jaylen Waddle.

2. New England Patriots

Brandin Cooks amassed a stat line of 65 catches, 1,082 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns in his sole season with the Patriots. That was in the 2017 campaign during the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick era.

It's a new dispensation in New England with Drake Maye throwing passes and Mike Vrabel calling the shots from the sidelines. Cooks could be a shrewd addition for a Patriots side firmly in the playoff picture.

Brandin Cooks could provide backup for fellow veteran pass catcher Stefon Diggs. Plus, his experience could do wonders for a young Patriots side as they look to return to their glory days and potentially make some noise at the business end of the season.

3. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans' injury issues are well-documented, and they threaten to derail DeMeco Ryans' third season on the job. Tank Dell remains out due to a significant injury that he suffered in Week 16 last season, and the available wideouts aren't performing at a playoff-caliber level.

Cooks could join the team and add a different dimension to the offense. The Oregon State product has amassed less than 500 receiving yards just once in his career, and he could still get the job done in the right system.

The Texans need a spark, and they could get one with the help of a player who recorded two 1,000-yard seasons during his previous stint in Houston.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain the team to beat in the NFC South. Todd Bowles' side is 6-2 this season, and sits pretty at first in their division.

However, the Buccaneers are currently dealing with injuries to a couple of their star veteran wide receivers. Mike Evans is dealing with a broken collarbone that's set to rule him out for potentially the rest of the regular season, while Chris Godwin's injury issues stretch back to last season.

Adding Brandin Cooks could be helpful for the Buccaneers' big game hopes. He'll be a decent safety blanket for Baker Mayfield while serving as a mentor for Offensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner, Emeka Egbuka.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars have a decent chance of making the playoffs in Liam Coen's first season in charge. However, they'll need to improve their wide receiver depth to give Trevor Lawrence more options when he decides to let it fly.

Brandin Cooks will bring veteran know-how to a young Jaguars wide receiver room. His experience could be crucial in the development of Brian Thomas Jr. and rookie star Travis Hunter.

Furthermore, Cooks is just three seasons removed from posting a career high in catches and amassing over 1,000 receiving yards. He's talented enough to operate as a first- or second-option if need be.

Edited by Nick Igbokwe