Veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks was released by the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday, the team confirmed following reports by ESPN. The 32-year-old, who signed a two-year, $13 million deal with New Orleans ahead of the 2025 season, will pass through waivers and become a free agent if unclaimed. Cooks appeared in 10 games this season, playing roughly 65 percent of offensive snaps but totaling just 19 catches for 165 yards on 25 targets and no touchdowns. The move is the latest in a broader roster retooling by a Saints team sitting at 2–8 as it shifts focus toward younger players.
- Brandin Cooks, age 32, was released by the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday; he signed a two-year, $13 million contract before 2025.
- Cooks played in 10 games this season, logging 19 receptions on 25 targets for 165 yards and zero touchdowns — his first scoreless season in a 12-year career.
- He participated on roughly 65 percent of the Saints’ offensive snaps and finished fifth in receiving yards on the team in 2025.
- The Saints traded Rashid Shaheed at the NFL trade deadline weeks earlier and now have moved on from another veteran receiver.
- New Orleans is 2–8 this season and has experimented at quarterback with Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough following Derek Carr’s retirement due to a shoulder injury.
- Potential internal replacements include practice-squad players Ronnie Bell and Kevin Austin Jr., while Trey Palmer (IR) is nearing a return.
Background
The Saints brought Brandin Cooks back to New Orleans ahead of the 2025 campaign, signing the former first-round pick to a two-year, $13 million deal. Cooks returned to the franchise that drafted him after a 12-year NFL journey that included stops with the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys. The signing was framed as both a move to add a proven target and to provide mentorship to younger receivers such as Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave.
New Orleans entered the season with high hopes for a balanced passing attack, but injuries and inconsistent play have derailed those plans. Derek Carr’s season ended with a shoulder injury that preceded his retirement, forcing the team to try alternative options under center. At the trade deadline, the Saints sent Shaheed to Seattle, signaling a willingness to use roster moves to prioritize the future over short-term fixes.
Main Event
The team announced the release on Wednesday, with media outlets including ESPN reporting the transaction. Cooks’ 2025 production — 19 catches, 165 yards on 25 targets over 10 games — fell well short of the expectations for a veteran signing slated to be a secondary weapon and on-field teacher. He also did not score a touchdown this season, marking the first time in his 12-year career he failed to reach the end zone.
Saints coaching staff and front-office sources framed the roster change as part of a larger reset as New Orleans looks to evaluate younger players in game conditions. With the roster in flux, the team has been testing Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough at quarterback, and the receiving room has been rebalanced by the Shaheed trade and now Cooks’ release. Those moves create opportunities for practice-squad elevations and for players recovering from injury to re-enter the rotation.
Among the potential beneficiaries are Ronnie Bell and Kevin Austin Jr., both of whom are on the practice squad and have shown enough in limited work to merit consideration. Trey Palmer, who was acquired from Tampa Bay and placed on IR, is reportedly nearing a return that could further shape receiver snaps. The immediate roster decisions will affect snap distribution for the remainder of a season in which the Saints are aiming to finish stronger after a Week 11 bye.
Analysis & Implications
Releasing Cooks reduces the number of established veterans in the Saints receiver room and underscores a clearer pivot toward youth evaluation. For a 2–8 team with several key departures and an unproven quarterback situation, giving reps to younger, cheaper players has short-term costs but long-term evaluative benefits. The move also frees modest cap space and roster flexibility, although the financial impact is limited given the structure of Cooks’ contract.
For Brandin Cooks personally, the release creates another chapter in a 12-year career defined by consistent availability and production, even if 2025 fell below his usual standards. At 32, Cooks still has experience that could interest playoff-contending teams seeking a veteran depth piece, particularly once he clears waivers and hits free agency. Teams with injuries at receiver or in need of a reliable route-runner could view him as a low-risk addition for the short term.
Strategically, the Saints’ decision signals that the front office values on-field evaluation of rostered youth over maintaining veteran depth in a season that appears increasingly out of playoff reach. That approach has precedent across the league: clubs timeline rebuilds around draft capital and younger players once their margin for competing in a given season narrows. How the Saints balance development with competitiveness in the remaining schedule will shape offseason priorities.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | 2025 (Cooks) |
|---|---|
| Games played | 10 |
| Receptions | 19 |
| Targets | 25 |
| Receiving yards | 165 |
| Touchdowns | 0 |
| Offensive snap share | ~65% |
| Team receiving rank | 5th (yards) |
The table spotlights how limited Cooks’ 2025 on-field output was compared with expectations for a veteran signing. While snap share remained significant, target share and production lagged, which helps explain the team’s decision when paired with its ongoing roster reset.
Reactions & Quotes
“The New Orleans Saints have released wide receiver Brandin Cooks,” the club transaction report stated.
New Orleans Saints (official transaction)
“Cooks will be subject to the waiver process before reaching unrestricted free agency if unclaimed,” reported ESPN.
ESPN (sports media)
Unconfirmed
- Whether any team will claim Brandin Cooks on waivers within the 24-hour window remains uncertain.
- The Saints’ precise plan for reallocating snaps among younger receivers has not been formally announced.
- Specific cap-accounting details related to Cooks’ release and any dead-money impact have not been disclosed by the team.
Bottom Line
The release of Brandin Cooks is a pragmatic roster move for a Saints team that is rebuilding in real time. Cooks’ snap share suggested the coaching staff trusted him to contribute, but his low target and yardage totals — and an unprecedented touchdown drought — ultimately reduced his on-field value this season.
For New Orleans, the transaction opens meaningful opportunities to evaluate younger receivers and to manage roster spots ahead of the remainder of the 2025 campaign. For Cooks, the immediate future will hinge on whether a contender or injury-hit team views him as a low-risk veteran addition once he clears waivers.
Sources
- New York Post — media report summarizing the release and team context (news outlet)
- ESPN — sports reporting referenced for transaction confirmation and waiver process (sports media)
- New Orleans Saints — official team transactions and statements (official team site)