The New England Patriots still have wide receivers on the mind as the NFL offseason heats up.
A report surfaced over the weekend that New England had offered the New Orleans Saints its No. 32 overall pick in 2017 for wide receiver Brandin Cooks. That deal obviously didn’t go down, but trade talks for Cooks still are alive, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday morning.
The Patriots reportedly have competition for Cook’s services in the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans. The Titans are the rumored the front-runners, as they own the No. 5 and No. 18 picks in the 2017 NFL Draft and covet a big-play wide receiver to pair with quarterback Marcus Mariota.
New England, meanwhile, reportedly is unlikely to sign wide receiver DeSean Jackson in free agency and could focus its efforts more intently on landing Cooks. The speedy 23-year-old amassed 1,173 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last season, his second consecutive 1,000-yard campaign, and averaged 15 yards per catch.
Whether the Patriots would be willing to part with more picks or a pass-rusher to acquire Cooks remains to be seen, but they clearly have interest in adding to the wide receiver position.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
