NFL Trade Rumors 2017: Sean Payton Explains Why Saints Plan to Trade Brandin Cooks
With the conclusion of the 2016 season and its Super Bowl, the National Football League (NFL) off-season has officially kicked off, and the rumor mill has been churning out reports about contract negotiations and potential athlete trades. At the center of trade talks this off-season is the New Orleans Saints, with the news that they're planning to trade away star receiver Brandin Cooks.
NFL teams such as the New England Patriots, the Tennessee Titans and the Philadelphia Eagles have all been linked to be in negotiations to acquire Cooks for their respective teams. However, the asking price for the Saints' star receiver is apparently very high.
Recent reports have revealed that the New Orleans team has turned down offers from the Titans and the Patriots. New Orleans reportedly turned down the Patriots' No. 32 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft in exchange for Cooks. Tennessee's offer to give its No. 18 overall pick to New Orleans was also not enough to get the Saint's receiver.
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With such a hefty price tag attached to Cooks, there are those who wonder why New Orleans would want to trade him in the first place. In a recent interview with ESPN, Sean Payton, the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, explained the motivation behind the decision to shop Cooks.
"I think one of the things that every team does when the season's over with and they get to the Combine, they're looking for ways to – for us specifically, improve our defense," Payton said. "You have X amount of assets – it might be draft picks or money to spend in free agency. Brandin is someone that we think the world of. I love him. Not only is he a great player, he's a special guy," he added.
Payton continued to explain that the Saints' general manager Mickey Loomis will always listen to offers from other teams if it was in the interest of improving the team's defense. However, Payton made it clear that the New Orleans team is not trying to disrespect Cooks.
"We'll communicate with Brandin, 'Hey, we're not just out here looking to trade Brandin Cooks,'" he said.
