NFL Trade Rumors: Saints turn down Titans’ first-round pick for Brandin Cooks

The New Orleans Saints’ asking price for Brandin Cooks is apparently very high. John J. Hendrix from SB Nation’s Saints blog Canal Street Chronicles reports New Orleans turned down the No. 18 overall pick from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for Cooks.

This report comes a few days after the Saints reportedly down the New England Patriots’ offer for Cooks: the No. 32 overall pick in 2017 NFL Draft.

Assuming these reports are true, it seems like it could take the Eagles’ pick at No. 14 (plus even more?) for Philadelphia to get Cooks.

But again, with all due respecting to the reporting here, this could ultimately be the Saints trying to increase their leverage in a Cooks trade. I just have my suspicions that they really turned down No. 18. What are they really expecting to get for a player that’s going to need an expensive new contract soon?

It was reported earlier on Wednesday that the Eagles are still in the mix for Cooks. Here’s what I wrote from before.

I don’t think the Eagles want to give up their first round pick at No. 14 in order to get Cooks. I also don’t think they’ll have to. In a vacuum, Cooks is a very good player who would warrant a first-round pick. But when you apply the context, his value isn’t as high. It seems like he’s destined not to return to the Saints so it’s not like they have all the leverage in this situation. New Orleans should be able to get a good return for him, but it might not be as high as they ideally prefer. Multiple NFL insiders have reported Cooks could be available for a second-round selection.

It’ll be really interesting to see what Cooks ends up costing. Or if New Orleans just keeps him despite the fact his teammates are openly taking shots at him on Twitter.