Saints Release Brandin Cooks After Request: Receiver Seeks New Horizons

Saints Release Wide Receiver Brandin Cooks

The New Orleans Saints announced on Wednesday the release of veteran receiver Brandin Cooks. Cooks, who will become a free agent if not claimed on waivers, had signed a two-year contract for up to $13 million to return to the Saints in March. In a related move, the Saints signed receiver Kevin Austin Jr. from their practice squad.

Cooks, 32, did not have a significant impact on the offense, finishing fifth on the team in receptions during the first half of the season. He had 19 receptions for 165 yards and no touchdowns.

He asked to be released and obviously it took a few days to go through that process and make sure it worked for both parties, so his contract was adjusted to benefit both. He was incredible about it.

Coach Kellen Moore

Cooks had incentives in his contract for receptions, touchdowns, playing time and receiving yards, but he didn’t reach any of them. The Saints selected Cooks in the first round of the 2014 draft, but traded him to the New England Patriots in the 2017 offseason. In 12 seasons, Cooks has 729 receptions for 9,697 yards and 60 touchdowns. Cooks is the second Saints wide receiver to leave the team this season, after the team traded Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks at the trade deadline.