Saints shouldn't be done in the WR market, labeled best fit for free agent Amari Cooper
Brandin Cooks' return to the New Orleans Saints shouldn't alter the Saints' plan at wide receiver. Cooks gives you another body in the room, but you could still use more talent. Specifically, New Orleans needs a receiver with more size than Cooks, Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.
Insert Amari Cooper. Pro Football Focus' Zoltán Buday sees the Saints as the best landing spot for Cooper. The Pro Bowl wide receiver already has familiarity with the starting quarterback. Cooper and Derek Carr played together for a little more than three seasons with the Oakland Raiders. The pairing started hot before cooling down in the final two years.
Cooper will walk into next season, wherever the destination is, looking to prove last season's production was a fluke. He's consistently been a 1000 yard receiver, but a down season at 30-years old will make many wonder if the writing on the wall.
If Cooper can get closer to the level he played at in 2023, he would be a welcomed asset to the Saints offense. First and foremost, he'd provide New Orleans with a player who has experience being a top notch lead dog in a passing game.
That would come in handy if Olave went down and someone needed to be the go-to target. While Shaheed is talented, this distinction is merely what you think you know versus what you've actually seen.
When everyone is healthy, Cooper gives the Saints a short yardage receiver and a guy who is a good contested catch receiver. Both of these traits are assets the Saints need in the receiving corps.
The fact Cooks didn't bring those attributes caused some to scratch their head on the signing. Adding Cooper is a move more in line with what many were expecting.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: PFF lists Saints as best landing spot for free agent WR Amari Cooper
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