The Green Bay Packers have a need for speed on offense, which is why acquiring a field stretcher like Los Angeles Rams receiver Brandin Cooks makes sense if the price is right.
A scenario recently proposed by The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia had the Packers sending a 2020 fourth-round pick (No. 136) and a conditional 2021 fourth-rounder to the Rams in exchange for Cooks.
If the trade were to come to fruition, Green Bay would inherit a cap hit of $8 million in fully guaranteed salary for 2020.
Known for his speed (4.33 40-yard dash) and agility, Cooks would potentially provide the Packers with the missing piece to their receiver puzzle.
Green Bay’s current receiving corps is mainly comprised of tall, physical receivers who lack the quick twitch needed to separate in close quarters and the long speed needed to run past cornerbacks on vertical passing routes.
Cooks, who turns 27 in September, has already been traded twice in his career, both times netting a first-round pick for his former team. Drafted in the first round in 2014 by the Saints, Cooks has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in four of his six NFL seasons, all four of which came in consecutive years (2015-2018).
But coming off his worst season statistically – he finished with 42 catches for 584 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games in 2019 – and given the depth at receiver in this year’s draft class, it’s hard to see the Rams garnering anything more than a third-rounder for Cooks.
Additionally, some teams may be turned off by the fact that Cooks has been diagnosed with five concussions in only six seasons. He suffered two concussions in less than a month during the 2019 season; Week 5 against the Seahawks and Week 8 against the Bengals.
Despite that, the speedy deep threat told ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry last November he’s “absolutely not” thinking of retiring any time soon due to concussions.
Should the Packers elect to pursue Cooks in a trade, they’d inherit a small cap hit for 2020, but a massive risk due to his injury history. Combined with the fact that the 2020 receiver class is littered with talent, the Packers shouldn’t give up anymore more than a mid-round draft selection for Cooks if he’s available.