This offseason, one of the biggest trades was the one between the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots. With that deal, the Patriots were able to acquire Brandin Cooks from the Saints in exchange for a package that included their 2017 first round pick.
It was very odd to see the Patriots make a deal that sent a draft pick away, but Cooks was clearly a great wide receiver in New Orleans and helped upgrade the Patriots’ offense. In recent years, the Patriots have been very content with short passes to players like Julian Edelman, and then let them work with yards after the catch.