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Who really won the 2018 Brandin Cooks trade between the Rams and Patriots? We break it all down
The Los Angeles Rams enter a 2025 season in which they’ll be seen as a top contender. As they enter a Super Bowl window, it would not be surprising to see general manager Les Snead make a move to capitalize one more time with quarterback Matthew Stafford under center.
Since joining the Rams in 2012, Snead has been one of the more aggressive general managers in the NFL. That was especially the case during the “F Them Picks” era in which the Rams gave up draft capital for star players. While the Rams didn’t win a Super Bowl with wide receiver Brandin Cooks, he was a player that defined this era.
It has been over five years since the Rams made the trade for Cooks. A former first-round pick, Cooks had been traded from the New Orleans Saints to the New England Patriots before the 2017 season. After losing in the Super Bowl and with Cooks in need of a new contract, the wide receiver was traded to the Rams.
With head coach Sean McVay taking the NFL by storm with 11 personnel, there was a need for three wide receivers who could threaten defenses consistently. While Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp could win from the slot, they needed a player who would could win on the outside and stretch the field.
The Rams tried this in 2017 with Sammy Watkins. However, Watkins wasn’t a fit in the offense, recording just 593 yards receiving on 39 receptions. The Rams moved on from Watkins after the season and with Cooks available, McVay and Snead saw an opportunity.
Due to Cooks’ smaller frame, there were always concerns about how he would hold up with the physicality of the NFL. During Super Bowl 52, Cooks took a massive hit from safety Malcolm Jenkins and was ruled out for the rest of the game with a head injury. With Cooks in need of a new contract and the uncertainty of how he would recover, the Patriots opted to move on.
Wanting to surround their young quarterback in Jared Goff with as much talent as possible, the Rams took the gamble on Cooks. While they gave up a first-round pick in the process, he was a much better route runner than Watkins, had proven production, and could complement both Woods and Kupp as he had the ability to stretch the field.
With cap space, the Rams immediately signed Cooks to a five-year, $81 million extension. Cooks finished the season with 80 receptions and over 1,200 yards. His 1,204 yards were a career-high. During the playoffs, he was the Rams leading receiver in the 2018 NFC Championship game against the Saints. Cooks was...
