Buccaneers Rival Signs Its Own Former First-Round Draft Pick Wideout

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on a run of four straight division titles with only the Falcons offering much resistance during that time.

One consistent cellar-dweller during that time has been the New Orleans Saints, who have a new head coach in former Cowboys and Eagles offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore.

On Friday, Moore brought in a familiar face to help his new offense in New Orleans.

Per Ian Rapoport, the Saints are bringing back wideout Brandin Cooks, who the team drafted in the first round back in 2014.

"He’s back! The #Saints are signing Brandin Cooks, per The Insiders, as their first-round draft pick from 2014 returns," Rapoport posted to his X account.

The 31-year-old spent three seasons in New Orleans before being traded to the New England Patriots in 2017. Cooks was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 and signed a five-year, $80 million extension.

Less than two years later, Cooks was traded once again to the Houston Texans in April of 2020 and signed a two-year, $39.764 contract extension with the Texans in 2022.

The following offseason, the former Oregon State Beaver was traded again to the Dallas Cowboys, where he spent two seasons. Which brings us to Friday, when Cooks signed a two-year, $13 million deal to return home to the team that drafted him.

Across 11 years and 158 games with 144 starts, Cooks has posted 710 receptions for 9,532 yards with 60 touchdowns while averaging 13.4 yards per reception.

Now, barring injury, the Bucs will face him twice a season again.