The New Orleans Saints are officially moving on from Brandin Cooks. Multiple outlets report that the team has waived the veteran wide receiver after a mutual decision that included Cooks reworking his contract to make the move possible.
Once the transaction is processed, Cooks will hit the waiver wire. If no team claims his adjusted deal, he’ll become a free agent and be able to choose his next destination.
Saints Release Brandin Cooks After Mutual Parting
This ends Cooks’ second stint in New Orleans just 10 games into his return. He rejoined the Saints in March on a two-year deal worth up to $13 million, coming back to the team that drafted him in the first round in 2014.
The reunion never turned into a featured role. Cooks, 32, logged 19 catches for 165 yards in 10 games (three starts) this season, ranking outside the Saints’ top options in the passing game.
According to NewOrleans.Football , Cooks had been seeking a trade or release as the season slipped away and New Orleans’ plans shifted. The sides “agreed to mutually part ways,” and Cooks even renegotiated his contract down to facilitate the release.
CBS Sports framed the move as a clean break for both parties: the 2-8 Saints are “firmly in rebuilding mode,” while Cooks is looking for a more impactful role on a team with real playoff hopes.
What It Means for the Saints’ WR Room
Cutting Cooks is another signal that New Orleans is leaning into a reset.
The Saints already traded Rashid Shaheed at the deadline and are starting rookie quarterback Tyler Shough down the stretch.
Chris Olave is now the unquestioned No. 1 receiver. Behind him, the team can take longer looks at younger targets like Devaughn Vele and Mason Tipton, players mentioned in local and national coverage as candidates for expanded snaps.
The move should also create some future salary-cap flexibility. Exact numbers on Cooks’ renegotiated contract haven’t been made public, but multiple reports indicate his adjustment was specifically designed to soften the financial hit and make the release workable.
Short term, the Saints’ margin for error on offense shrinks even more. A thin receiver group and a rookie quarterback make life tougher for first-year head coach Kellen Moore as New Orleans tries to evaluate its young core over the final weeks of the season.
Brandin Cooks Landing Spots After Saints Release
The more intriguing part for most fans: where does Brandin Cooks go next?
Because he was waived, any team can claim his contract in order of current standings. If he clears, Cooks becomes one of the more accomplished pass-catchers to hit the in-season market in years, with 729 career receptions for 9,697 yards and 60 touchdowns plus six 1,000-yard seasons.
Analysts are already lining up contenders that make sense. CBS Sports listed five potential landing spots , headlined by the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots, all teams that could use a veteran deep threat for a playoff push.
Other national pieces have tied Cooks to receiver-needy contenders as well, with Pittsburgh in particular drawing early buzz because of its wideout issues and long history of adding proven veterans.
Whether he’s claimed on waivers or chooses his own destination, Cooks’ surprise exit from New Orleans just made the late-season wide receiver market a lot more interesting, and put several playoff races on notice.
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