Brandin Cooks remains in contact with Bills and wants to come back

[transient]

41 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

This still feels like a no brainer to me. Cooks today, is a better player than Palmer and Coleman. He certainly has a way higher floor than both. Off one of them passes him, great. If they are the same guys that they have been, Cooks will be the guy opposite Moore.
 

If that’s the case, Josh Palmer starts playing special teams again to secure a jersey on game day. Better yet, trade him for anything to open the cap space. Even if you need to add a late pick to entice someone. Then you can have Sherfield or whomever play ST.

He's also probably a better veteran presence in that WR corps than anyone aside from maybe DJ Moore. Coleman, Bell and Shavers would likely benefit from just having him in the room.

[Kirby Jackson]

The other thing that is really underrated in bringing him back is that Josh trusts him. He threw him the ball 17 times in his last 3 games (Eagles game and 2 playoff games). All of those were important, and close games. Josh looked to him 5.3 times a game. If you extrapolate that over a 17 game schedule that’s 96.3 targets. Shakir led the Bills with 95 targets in 16 games (5.9 targets per game). No one else was even close to that. There is something to be said for where Josh looked in the big games and trust. 
 

 

Edited July 9 by Kirby Jackson

[First Round Bust]

fine, but someone on the Sunday WR roster has to play ST and I doubt its a rookie draft pick....and cook wants some reps but not ST either

[uticaclub]

Our WRs (outside of Shakir) were so unbelievably bad last year; Cooks' washed-up ass looked serviceable.

 

By normal NFL standards, Cooks is done being a production WR. Cooks seems like a guy thats wants to keep playing until he can’t, which I respect. He knows Buffalo gives him the best chance at making a roster.

[Slippery Rubber Mats]

12 minutes ago, That's No Moon said:

He's a week 2 signing. 

 

bananas, get him in training camp

[sunshynman]

[colin]

i think the injury that palmer is still nursing is the fulcrum on this.  if palmer is going to miss even more time, or be a total write off like last season, then we basically need cooks.  if palmer is 100% then cook would end up a scratch almost every game and likely a mid season cut.

 

if cooks is willing to roll the dice to play with us and risk getting benched or cut, i'd sign him real soon.  if he and allen can figure some things out it means between him, palmer, and bell if bell comes along quickly enough, we can line up in 11 with kinkaid, cook, dj, and some combo of shakir, palmer, bell, coleman, cook and and be able to stress every level of the field, line backers or dbs, inside and outside, and have some yac, size, and speed on the field, and most of all vs last season, some actual verticality.  with some better play calling and game script, allen could exceed all his passing records.

[JP51]

36 minutes ago, colin said:

i think the injury that palmer is still nursing is the fulcrum on this.  if palmer is going to miss even more time, or be a total write off like last season, then we basically need cooks.  if palmer is 100% then cook would end up a scratch almost every game and likely a mid season cut.

 

if cooks is willing to roll the dice to play with us and risk getting benched or cut, i'd sign him real soon.  if he and allen can figure some things out it means between him, palmer, and bell if bell comes along quickly enough, we can line up in 11 with kinkaid, cook, dj, and some combo of shakir, palmer, bell, coleman, cook and and be able to stress every level of the field, line backers or dbs, inside and outside, and have some yac, size, and speed on the field, and most of all vs last season, some actual verticality.  with some better play calling and game script, allen could exceed all his passing records.

I think Palmer injury or actually even if he is ready, is the fulcrum and I am betting on Cooks having better production than Palmer.  I hate the cap hit but this guy didnt produce, then got hurt and stayed hurt and I feel will just get hurt again... I am venting here... I know but, I really feel like we need to cut bait with this guy... 

[Einstein's Dog]

Just say "No" to Cooks. 

 

The future of the Bills WR room is DJ Moore, S Bell, Shakir and Kincaid.  That coupled with J Cook in the backfield should be a powerhouse for several years!

 

The FO must resist the urge to stunt the development of this potential offensive juggernaut because of the short sighted, temporary boost that is available by playing a declining veteran over the raw rising star.  It's bad enough that they haven't gotten rid of Palmer, they don't need to add to the problem.

[Kirby Jackson]

2 hours ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Just say "No" to Cooks. 

 

The future of the Bills WR room is DJ Moore, S Bell, Shakir and Kincaid.  That coupled with J Cook in the backfield should be a powerhouse for several years!

 

The FO must resist the urge to stunt the development of this potential offensive juggernaut because of the short sighted, temporary boost that is available by playing a declining veteran over the raw rising star.  It's bad enough that they haven't gotten rid of Palmer, they don't need to add to the problem.

They’re not stunting the growth of anyone. They’re raising the floor. If Bell wins a starting job awesome!! If Coleman develops, fantastic. If Palmer is the guy that they imagined, great.

 

That’s a lot of “ifs.” Brandin Cooks is here to eliminate the downside risk. If those guys are who they have been, he’s better. Cooks is insurance on a room that has lots and lots of question marks. Bill Barnwell basically ranked them as the 29th best WR room in the league. Cooks doesn’t make them a top 10 group or anything. As of today though, there are only 2 WRs better than him on the roster. 

Edited July 9 by Kirby Jackson

[Magox]

Cooks was our most dangerous receiver in the back half of the year.   The pass game to the boundary receivers was dead until he came along.  He did have an uncharacteristic amount of drops but I believe that to be more of an anomaly than anything.  And he showed that he still had plenty of juice to get open deep, add in another year with the Bills and chemistry with J.A and I think you'll see an even better version of Cooks.  Honestly, I think he is the other outside boundary receiver that will be starting opposite of Moore.   Palmer and Coleman will find their spot duties with Shakir manning the slot.  This receiving room with hopefully a healthy Palmer, more focused Coleman, 2nd year of Cooks and the addition of Moore gives us our best receiving room we've had in a very long time.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

27 minutes ago, Einstein's Dog said:

Just say "No" to Cooks.

 

The future of the Bills WR room is...Kincaid. 

 

 

Keep Cooks on the team's speed dial.  Kincaid just read this evaluation, got lightheaded, fell down, and went on IR...🙁

[ColoradoBills]

Having Brandin Cooks waiting in the wings is a great thing.

Beane has $10M.  An easy $6M is going to IR/PUP players and PS.

He may also be looking for another D vet player too.

 

Brandin doesn't need to be in camp on Day 1.  Let a little time go buy and then pull the trigger when needed.

 

[transient]

5 minutes ago, Magox said:

Cooks was our most dangerous receiver in the back half of the year.   The pass game to the boundary receivers was dead until he came along.  He did have an uncharacteristic amount of drops but I believe that to be more of an anomaly than anything.  And he showed that he still had plenty of juice to get open deep, add in another year with the Bills and chemistry with J.A and I think you'll see an even better version of Cooks.  Honestly, I think he is the other outside boundary receiver that will be starting opposite of Moore.   Palmer and Coleman will find their spot duties with Shakir manning the slot.  This receiving room with hopefully a healthy Palmer, more focused Coleman, 2nd year of Cooks and the addition of Moore gives us our best receiving room we've had in a very long time.

I'm sure spending only 7 games with the team with no offseason and catching passes from Allen for the first time had something to do with it. You have to imagine that ball gets on a WR a little quicker than what they're used to.

[Dillenger4]

Bring him in for camp. Let the battle begin. He made some good plays last year! A full camp and time with the Bills is what he needs.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

I'd love to have him, considerably more as a complementary piece than as WR1

 

I'd be open to a camp invite. Cutting Palmer would give Beane wiggle room in his cap space so I'm fine letting the best player have the job especially with Skylar Bell in the back pocket.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

2 hours ago, First Round Bust said:

fine, but someone on the Sunday WR roster has to play ST and I doubt its a rookie draft pick....and cook wants some reps but not ST either

 

They have added a number of plus athlete defensive backs.  If you carry 6 WR's one has to play teams - but if you keep 5 you can potentially carry another corner or something.  

 

If they have a specific punt returner, that could also factor in.  

[DapperCam]

2 hours ago, colin said:

i think the injury that palmer is still nursing is the fulcrum on this.  if palmer is going to miss even more time, or be a total write off like last season, then we basically need cooks.  if palmer is 100% then cook would end up a scratch almost every game and likely a mid season cut.

 

if cooks is willing to roll the dice to play with us and risk getting benched or cut, i'd sign him real soon.  if he and allen can figure some things out it means between him, palmer, and bell if bell comes along quickly enough, we can line up in 11 with kinkaid, cook, dj, and some combo of shakir, palmer, bell, coleman, cook and and be able to stress every level of the field, line backers or dbs, inside and outside, and have some yac, size, and speed on the field, and most of all vs last season, some actual verticality.  with some better play calling and game script, allen could exceed all his passing records.

Cooks is better than Palmer. Hope Beane would see that instead of trying to justify his (so far) bust FA signing.

[BillyJoeBills]

I'd prefer 30 yr old Deebo Samuel; 72 receptions/5tds in 2025, over soon to be 33 yr old Brandin.   Plus, I can't forget Brandin getting bullied by McMillan in OT; that would never happen to Deebo.

[BuffaloMatt]

3 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

The other thing that is really underrated in bringing him back is that Josh trusts him. He threw him the ball 17 times in his last 3 games (Eagles game and 2 playoff games). All of those were important, and close games. Josh looked to him 5.3 times a game. If you extrapolate that over a 17 game schedule that’s 96.3 targets. Shakir led the Bills with 95 targets in 16 games (5.9 targets per game). No one else was even close to that. There is something to be said for where Josh looked in the big games and trust. 
 

 

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