NFL free agency is almost here, and one area that the Los Angeles Rams will be looking to bolster is the wide receiver room.
Even though veteran WR Tutu Atwell was signed to a one-year, $10 million contract earlier this week, the Rams need more depth due to the threat of Cooper Kupp leaving town this offseason. Fortunately, free agency offers Los Angeles general manager Les Snead the perfect opportunity to add veteran playmakers to his roster — especially when he has over $55 million to spend, according to Spotrac.
The Rams will have a plethora of experienced WRs they can target next week, including one who head coach Sean McVay is more than familiar with.
Rams Must Target WR Brandin Cooks in Free Agency
Veteran wideout Brandin Cooks has played with five NFL franchises throughout his 11-year career, and the Rams are one of them. The former Oregon State Beaver spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons in L.A. before being traded to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2020 second-round pick that was eventually used on fellow WR Van Jefferson.
Nearly five years have passed since Cooks left the City of Angels, and the current offseason is the perfect time for a reunion.
For starters, McVay already knows Cooks from his two previous seasons with the Rams, making the latter someone the 39-year-old HC can trust. After all, it was under McVay's guidance during the 2018 season that the 5-foot-10 pass-catcher racked up a career-high 1,204 receiving yards and has yet to reach that benchmark since then.
By the time his Los Angeles tenure was over, Cooks finished with 1,787 yards and seven touchdowns on 122 catches across 30 games.
Cooks is no longer playing at that level, but he can still be a solid WR3/4 in McVay's offense. Even though his numbers have been trending in the wrong direction lately, it was only in 2023 that he tallied 657 yards and eight TDs in 16 appearances with the Dallas Cowboys.
Another reason to sign Cooks is that he probably won't cost much. He's coming off a 2024 season where he was limited to 10 appearances due to a knee injury, meaning he'll likely have to accept a cheaper 'prove yourself' deal to show any potential suitor he still has gas left in the tank.
A Rams reunion would also bring Cooks back to his home state, where he could potentially finish his career. He's turning 32 years old at the end of September, and with the ways injuries pile up when a player gets older, this offseason might be his last chance to play a full season in front of friends and family.
At the end of the day, Cooks rejoining the Rams could be mutually beneficial. A turnaround performance would help bolster Los Angeles' WR situation while giving a veteran one more chance to be a local here.
The Rams will have their first chance to reunite with Cooks when the NFL's free agency tampering window opens on Monday.