It didn’t take Brandin Cooks long to become enamored with the New England Patriots.
Just 10 games into his Patriots tenure, the wide receiver already hopes to spend the rest of his playing days in Foxboro.
“The goal is to play the rest of my career here,” Cooks told CBSSports.com this week. “That’s God willing. I don’t know what the future holds, but this is a special place.”
Of course, anything a player says about his future has to be taken with a grain of salt. Cooks, after all, is just 24, meaning his career should span another decade if he remains healthy.
Right now, though, he would have little reason to want to leave New England. Cooks has lived up to the hype in his first season with the Patriots, ranking in the top four in the NFL in both receiving yards (786) and yards per catch (17.5). He’s developed a strong connection with quarterback Tom Brady and is on track to enjoy a first-round playoff bye after failing to even reach the postseason in his three years with the New Orleans Saints.
Cooks is coming off arguably his best game as a Patriot, catching six passes on nine targets for 149 yards and a 64-yard touchdown in Sunday’s win over the Oakland Raiders. He also caught five passes on seven targets for 131 yards and two scores in a Week 3 victory over the Houston Texans.
“Nobody works harder than Brandin,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick told reporters after Sunday’s game via the Boston Herald. “He has the speed an acceleration to create mismatches and does everything well, from slants, outs and deep passes. He’s been a good player for us.”
