On this episode of Talking Buffalo, Patrick Moran examines if the Buffalo Bills should attempt to re-sign pending free agent wide receiver Brandin Cooks and explains why that answer is no, regardless of how cheap he’d be and what his role on paper would be.
There’s definitely reasons we can see a Cooks reunion with the club in 2026 and Patrick admits the reasons to feel like it works are more than why it wouldn’t. From the inexpensive cap hit to his track record, skill set in particular his ability to get open plenty for Buffalo last year and to having a “lesser than” role in the wide receiver room going forward, there’s plenty of justification on bringing him back.
But Patrick lands on no and it’s for one reason but a big one—-you simply can’t trust him. Cooks had major issues during his short time with Buffalo holding onto the football and completing catches, a major reason he had just 10 completions in 22 targets with the Bills. While you can say he’d be a bottom of the depth chart player and that seems harmless, the reality is when you’re on the depth chart you’re going to see the field, especially at wide receiver. When Cooks runs routes he tends to get open which means he’ll get the football and that’s where the problem lies–Patrick simply thinks you can’t trust him to make the big play that could determine the outcome of a game or as we saw in the playoffs, literally the season. For that reason alone Patrick thinks it’s a bad idea to bring him back.
Also, the Jets and Titans made a straight player for player trade on Thursday that got Patrick thinking of four current Bills players he could see as candidates for something similar happening. That and much more.
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