Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
By Ross Jackson
NEW ORLEANS, La. – This was a surprising start to the New Orleans Saints’ Week 12 practice week. Ahead of the team’s Wednesday practice, it appears the team has parted ways with one of its veteran wide receivers. The move makes sense for both sides.
Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.football is reporting the Saints and wide receiver Brandin Cooks have agreed to part ways.
The Saints and Brandin Cooks have mutually agreed to part ways, according to a source. Cooks will be a free agent
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) November 19, 2025
The move comes after he was not dealt at the trade deadline, a time where he was expected to be a possible trade asset. Cooks signed with the Saints when the team still expected to be quarterbacked by veteran, and now retired, passer Derek Carr. The expectations were very much that the team would be working to be competitive and a contender within their division.
Soon after Cooks signed, Carr retired and the Saints began to head in a vastly different direction. Despite that, Cooks stuck around and helped to develop the young room around him, sharing his veteran experience with young wideouts like Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, Mason Tipton and others still on the roster.
After the trade deadline, when Cooks was not moved, it was expected that he might see a larger role on offense after former wideout Rashid Shaheed was dealt to the Seattle Seahawks. However, he instead saw his lowest snap percentage of the season at just 50%. He was quickly surpassed by big-bodied receiver Vele instead, who saw over 86% of snaps.
Cooks will enter waivers while costing the Saints a modest amount against their 2025 salary cap. He now has a chance to land with the competitor he was seeking, should he clear waivers or be claimed by one. The Saints will see a small amount of salary cap relief in 2026 after parting ways with the veteran leader, who did embrace his role in New Orleans, just 10 games into his two-year, $13 million deal.
With Cooks headed elsewhere, the Saints may turn to Tipton to provide some additional perimeter speed across from Olave. It will also be interesting to see whether or not wideout Trey Palmer finds his way off of Injured Reserve this week.
