Grading the LA Rams trade for Brandin Cooks from Patriots

The Los Angeles Rams have traded a first round pick and sixth round pick to the New England Patriots for Brandin Cooks and a 4th. We grade the move…

The Los Angeles Rams are once again part of a blockbuster trade, this time dealing away their first round pick (23rd overall) as well as a sixth round pick to the New England Patriots for wide receiver Brandin Cooks and a fourth round pick.

This trade is the latest in a long line of moves made by the Rams this offseason to put themselves in position to make a championship run.

When you look at what they’ve been able to do on paper, it’s hard not to be impressed.

With that being said, this unfortunately takes the Rams out of the running for Odell Beckham Jr., but may bring the Patriots into the running for him.

There are so many new possible scenarios here, it’s hard for me to wrap my brain around it as I type. So, here are my initial thoughts and ‘grades’ for the trade:

Los Angeles Rams grade: B-

The Rams are getting a young wide receiver with a ton of speed and proven production in Brandin Cooks. He will play the ‘DeSean Jackson’ role in Sean McVay’s offense, which makes a ton of sense given the team’s loss of Sammy Watkins.

When you consider that Watkins is making twice as much in average salary (or close to it) as Cooks, this looks like a really good deal for the Rams at first glance. Cooks is only 24 and has produced at a high level already for four years.

That being said, he’s in the final year of his rookie contract, and the Rams not only paid up in the form of a first round pick to get him, but they are going to have to pay him big money now, and with Odell Beckham Jr. available, I would have rather paid big money to OBJ.

That’s just personal preference.

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Cooks played well in his first and only year with the Patriots, setting a career mark with over 16 yards per reception.

New England Patriots grade: A

The Patriots come away from this trade winners on paper because it doesn’t seem to matter who they plug into their offense — they are going to produce no matter what.

With Cooks, their offense was great. Without Cooks (and with Tom Brady), their offense will be great.

With Julian Edelman returning from injury, the Patriots are still fully stocked at receiver, they won’t have to pay a big money extension to Cooks, and they can use their new draft capital (four picks in the first two rounds, including two first rounders) to potentially move up for a quarterback of the future, or they can parlay some picks into Odell Beckham Jr. and make another blockbuster move.

Whatever the case here, the Patriots made a good move getting first round value in a trade market that has been lackluster to say the least from a seller’s perspective.

I can’t wait to see what else unfolds from this point forward.

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