The New England Patriots acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the New Orleans Saints on Friday for a first- and third-round pick in the upcoming draft, multiple sources told ESPN's Dianna Russini.
The Patriots also will receive the Saints' fourth-round pick (No. 118 overall). New England's draft selections headed to the Saints are 32nd and 103rd overall.
The Patriots love receivers who can turn a short catch into a long gainer and with his speed, Cooks fits the bill. The signing is great for Tom Brady, but it's a downgrade for Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell. Cooks figures to rank as a WR2 in early projections since the Patriots have several mouths to feed. In New Orleans, it's a small downgrade for Drew Brees while Michael Thomas, Willie Snead and newcomer Ted Ginn will pick up the slack.
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