FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In acquiring wide receiver Brandin Cooks and a fourth-round draft choice from the New Orleans Saints in exchange for first- and third-round draft choices, the New England Patriots had to factor in both the quality of the player they were bringing aboard as well as the economics.
This thought was reinforced with Tuesday's news of the Los Angeles Rams becoming the first team to exercise the fifth-year option on a 2014 first-round draft choice, doing so with defensive tackle Aaron Donald.