Should I Start B Cooks Or M Brown

B/R

He gets off the jam and gets deep, tracking the football game and taking it away from new teammate Stephon Gilmore for a large play.

He shakes a defensive back who is all over him at the top of a stalk and dives toward the sideline, tapping both toes in bounds before his body hits the ground.

He takes advantage of a coverage lapse and makes a almost-impossible one-handed catch at the back of the end zone.

Brandin Cooks, dang.

His talent is so promising. They called him the Wink and the Torch. He was the 2nd-fastest player at the 2022 combine with a four.33 twoscore-thou dash and then was the 20th player selected in the typhoon that twelvemonth. And he is but 23 years old.

The production is so promising. He won the Biletnikoff Accolade as the top receiver in higher football every bit a junior. He exceeded 1,100 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons.

And now, afterwards changing teams in 1 of the offseason's most intriguing trades, the opportunity is so promising as well. It's not like he was in a bad spot earlier, catching passes for the Saints from Drew Brees—but now Tom Brady is throwing to him, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman are drawing defenders away from him, Josh McDaniels is calling plays for him and Nib Belichick is leading him.

Anyone who plays fantasy football game, and anyone who plays defensive back in the National Football League, needs to be aware of the new guy on the Patriots offense.

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Cooks had the seventh-most receiving yards in the NFL last season. Brent Brennan thinks he can be in the tiptop five this season.

The prediction traces back to the spring of 2022 following Cooks' freshman season at Oregon Land. Cooks had 391 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman, simply he knew he wasn't skilful enough. He told Brennan, Oregon State's receivers coach at the time and now the head omnibus at San Jose State, that he needed to learn defenses so he could run across the field like Brennan did.

Brennan told Cooks his just complimentary time was at 7 a.thou. And so for the next 18 months, he found Cooks waiting for him in his office at 7 a.thou. Cooks never missed a day and was never late.

He bankrupt out with 1,151 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore, just he didn't stop working. Brennan recalls a Sat afternoon the following summer when Cooks was heading into his junior year. Campus was very tranquillity except for a wedding in Reser Stadium. Brennan parked his motorcar and walked across the street to the stadium archway. There, on the sand volleyball courtroom, was one young man, sweating and darting and leaping.

Coach Brennan @ coachbrennan

@BCooks4 at 2 pm on a Sabbatum. Greatness waits for no man! And some but chase it with more focus and passion... http://t.co/v6n0uCfvIL

"No i does that on a Sabbatum on their own in July," says Brennan. "Nobody works like Brandin. He is the most uniquely motivated, focused person I've e'er been around. He is the absolute gold standard for piece of work ethic, and he will be for the rest of my life."

He is obsessive about finding ways to meliorate.

The payoff for all that work? Cooks exploded for 1,730 yards and 16 TDs as a junior.

So can he go from 7th in the league final year to pinnacle-five this yr? Sure.

"I could run into him exploding into i of those really elite, elite players," Brennan says.

In practices with the Patriots, when Brady throws to another receiver, Cooks pretends to take hold of the ball. He looks it in, clenches his hands and makes a move.

"You lot aren't going to become all the balls in practice, just I think about information technology this way: If I run 50 routes, I similar to think I catch 50 assurance," Cooks says. And so after the route, he sprints dorsum to the huddle. "The game becomes easier that mode."

When the residue of the NFL was on vacation in July, Cooks was in search of greatness in suburban Portland, Oregon. His routine began at vi:50 a.m.: bodywork from therapist Ryan Baugus, and then movement prep, and then linear speed work so ability preparation with Baugus and trainer Erik Jernstrom. After vi hours, he would accept a break. By late afternoon, Cooks was dorsum on a football field running routes and working on his easily. Later, he oftentimes spent time in the infrared sauna in his basement and then soaked in a cold tub. A massage therapist came past some days.

Weighing 185, Cooks squatted 500 pounds. Then he moved to box jumps with no rest. In between sets, he frequently bounced two tennis assurance off the ground or wall in various patterns to enhance paw-centre coordination.

Cooks doesn't hang at the clubs. He doesn't watch sports on Idiot box. He reads, hikes with his fiancee, Briannon Lepman, and plays with his dogs—Scott, a gilt retriever, and Archer, a mini goldendoodle. The large majority of his time is devoted to beingness a amend football thespian.

Steven Senne/Associated Press

"He'south OCD about being neat," former Saints teammate Luke McCown says. "All the little things you want a guy to do, he does. There is no walkthrough speed. Everything he does is full speed, total focus."

The challenge for Cooks is to avert becoming too single-minded. "He doesn't just eat, breathe and sleep it—he lives it to the point I get concerned he needs to residue a little more," says Myke Lewis-Tyson, his mentor and speed bus.

Cooks tries to turn out the lights by nine. But that doesn't mean he's sleeping. As he lies in bed, his listen runs cone drills, thinking about the adjacent day, the next move, the next conditioning, the next practice, the next coming together, the adjacent catch.

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Worth Cooks Jr. is Brandin's older brother by nine years. Better than most, he understands what Brandin is capable of, and he can envision Brandin's leading the league in receiving yards and playing in the Pro Bowl this season.

Worth long has recognized Brandin has a purpose.

"He hung effectually with a grouping of kids that are probably incarcerated or not doing well at all today," Worth says. "They went to political party; he went to play catch. They went to play video games; he'd get out on the field. He separated himself. We never had to tell him."

Their father, Worth Sr., was a bounty hunter and former Marine who ran barefoot races with his sons. He never missed one of their games. When Brandin was six, Dad died of a heart set on. He was 48.

"I would requite annihilation to take him back," Brandin says. "Simply now I say it's a blessing because it's a part of who I am. Information technology gave me so much drive to be the all-time I can for my family."

Without Dad to provide, Cooks' female parent, Andrea, was forced to have ii jobs—one in the receiving section of a hat warehouse, the other as an later on-school program coordinator. She seemed to be working morn and night only to proceed the lights on.

If she has to work that hard, young Brandin thought, why shouldn't I?

Brandin was the youngest of four boys. Worth, Fred and Andre e'er let Brandin knew where he stood in the family pecking order. "Crybaby" and "momma's boy," they called him.

"I'd like to thank them for picking on me because that's where a lot of my toughness comes from," Brandin says.

It also may exist where his speed comes from. Brandin had to use his feet to stay away from his brothers' fists, and he believes that'due south how he became so fast.

When he was six, Brandin squared off against a friend in a street race and lost. Brandin remembers information technology still. "I don't think he ever got over it," Lewis-Tyson says.

And so Brandin began setting goals. When he was xi, according to babyhood friend Romon Bridges, his text messages would auto-sign with "First Round NFL Typhoon Pick." When he was 15, he told people he wanted to be the fastest receiver in the NFL.

Elsa/Getty Images

Cooks became only that, a commencement-circular typhoon pick and arguably the fastest receiver in the NFL. He bought his mother a $100,000 white Mercedes Benz and a new firm. Merely neither one of them became complacent. Andrea yet works in the receiving department of a chapeau warehouse, and Brandin keeps aiming higher.

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For three years, McCown and Cooks dissected defenses together and waged pingpong wars against ane another. The quarterback believes Cooks is capable of more in his quaternary flavor than he has done previously.

"I think of Antonio Dark-brown," says McCown, who at present is with the Cowboys. "His first three years in the league, he was fast, a expert receiver. Merely when he hit that center ground—that fourth, fifth year, when he knew how to utilise his speed to his reward and married it with an understanding of how to run routes and ready defenders upwards—that'due south when he really took off. Hopefully that's what you are going to see from Brandin Cooks coming up."

3 years in the Saints offense helped prepare Cooks for the adjacent step. He is accustomed to working with a quarterback who strives for—and sometimes achieves—perfection.

Soon afterwards joining the Saints, Cooks moved to San Diego because Drew Brees lived in that location and he wanted to be effectually him in the offseason. Cooks and Brees became close enough to class a lifelong bail.

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

Cooks came up with the thought of looking imaginary passes into his hands in practice while watching Brees. After Brees throws a laissez passer in practice, he goes through the residuum of his progressions as if he never let become of the brawl.

His affinity for Brees bated, Cooks became dissatisfied with how the Saints used him. Most wide receivers want more glory. He wanted more grit. He let his feelings be known on social media, in interviews and in behind-the-scenes conversations.

"I work to be more just a deep threat," he says. "When I voiced my opinion on that, information technology wasn't coming from a selfish standpoint; it was coming from a desire-to-be-slap-up standpoint. You probably tin count on one hand the receivers who were considered cracking or went to the Hall of Fame who only took the pinnacle off. I felt I was then immature that I want to proceed to grow. I voiced my opinion about it, whether I was right or incorrect. I felt I deserved the opportunity to do more than and exist considered more than a speed guy."

Belichick had been impressed with Cooks when he did his typhoon prep in 2022. He became more impressed watching him practice for the Saints in joint training camp sessions with the Patriots in 2022 and 2022.

After the terminal practice final summer, Cooks approached Belichick to evidence his respect.

"Howdy, Motorbus. Thanks for having the states at your facility," Cooks remembers telling him. "I was impressed with how organized your practices are and how there is no wasted fourth dimension."

Belichick nodded and fabricated a mental notation.

"Good seeing you," Cooks said as they shook hands.

In the offseason, the Saints knew Cooks had merchandise value, so they listened. The Titans, Eagles and Rams made pitches, merely Belichick was willing to give more than than the others.

Cooks sees similarities betwixt Belichick and Saints coach Sean Payton—probably, he surmises, considering both worked for Bill Parcells.

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

"Both are great coaches," he says. "I accept a ton of respect for Charabanc Payton. He went to bat for me to draft me, and I could never forget that. He gave me the opportunity and helped me abound every bit a player. There is no bad blood whatsoever. If I encounter him now, I'yard going to requite him a hug. And Coach Belichick is awesome. He'due south someone you want to play your tail off for. I'grand so thankful for the opportunity to play for him."

Cooks made this opportunity happen. Merely like he made all the other opportunities happen.

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Quondam Saints quarterback and WWL radio host Bobby Hebert watched Cooks practice and play for three years. He understands why the Saints used Cooks the style they did, and he believes Cooks' production in New England will be like to his production in New Orleans.

"To me, Brandin Cooks tin can first on any team and be a No. ii receiver," Hebert says. "But I don't encounter him as a No. 1 receiver because of his [5'10"] size. Brandin Cooks is a little-bitty guy. He can have the meridian off a defence force, but I never saw him in a Saints uniform intermission tackles on a screen and take information technology to the firm. It might be a v- or six-chiliad gain. He never fabricated something out of nothing."

Cooks' mission is to change that perception. More than anything, he wants to be a consummate receiver. That's the goal he committed to after meeting former Patriots receiver Randy Moss a little over a year agone.

"The biggest thing I took from him was to piece of work at beingness a route-runner and not simply focusing on speed," Cooks says. "He talked to me about really learning how to run routes so you are not just stuck to one thing and corners can't predict what you lot are doing. Learn the route tree and expand your game."

Another player who's had a big impact on Cooks is Steve Smith. He's trained with and studied the quondam Panther and Raven, who was a panthera leo of a football player at v'9".

"His yards later the take hold of were unbelievable, he was a groovy blocker and his tenacity until the whistle blows was probably 2d to none," Cooks says. "That intensity he brought to the game, y'all come across why people didn't want to go confronting him. I'd similar to have his tenacity and his power to get yards subsequently the catch.

"I don't want to be simply a guy who blows the height off. I want to exist able to catch a hitch or slant and take it the distance."

Any he'south achieved, the eye is ever on what can be achieved next.

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When Moss came to the Patriots, he made their offense most impossible to defend.

A decade later on, Moss says Cooks gives the Patriots their first truly explosive receiver since himself—but nevertheless, he doesn't foresee Cooks having the same type of season, if but because of the difference in who else is on the squad.

When Moss had his best flavour in New England, he was targeted ofttimes downfield in part because the squad's other options—Jabar Gaffney, Donte' Stallworth, Wes Welker, Ben Watson and Kevin Faulk—had limitations. The current Patriots take a much more than gifted group of skill position players to complement Cooks in Gronkowski, Edelman, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, Mike Gillislee, James White and Dion Lewis.

"With all those players playing at a loftier level, I don't retrieve [a i,500-yard season] is reachable for any player in that Patriots system," says Moss, now an analyst for ESPN. He thinks Cooks volition end up with closer to one,000 receiving yards.

The challenge for McDaniels is to develop a role for Cooks and find means to blend his talents with the talents of the others.

"I think inside the Patriots offense, they are going to utilise him curt, intermediate and deep," Moss says. "If he'due south able to make teams honor his intermediate and his short game, the deep stuff will come, and information technology will come very like shooting fish in a barrel for him. Only the matter he can't do is focus and concentrate on the deep stuff, and then when it comes time for the short and intermediate stuff, grab the brawl, fall down.

"He has to accept the short and intermediate and the deep ball and work on all 3 of those. In that Patriots offense, if he's able to do that, homo, the sky'south the limit for him, the sky's the limit for that crime. With all the weapons they accept, yous simply pick where to throw the ball. Tom volition observe the open up man."

Cooks has studied tape of Moss with the Patriots, knowing he is probable to exist running many of the same routes Moss ran. "Whether it's communicable a deep brawl or communicable a short road and taking it the distance, he was special," Cooks says.

Shortly after the Patriots traded first- and third-circular picks for Cooks and a fourth-round option in March, Cooks texted Brady, Gronkowski, Edelman, Jimmy Garoppolo and several others with unique messages. He didn't know any of them, and he wanted to allow them know how excited he was to exist teammates.

The New England mystique fascinated him.

Steven Senne/Associated Press

"When I got off the plane the first time and started hearing about the history of the Patriots, and too the Celtics, Bruins, Ruby Sox, wow," Cooks says. "This is Boston. They accept been champions so many times over the years. I thought I'one thousand going to do whatever I tin to help keep that going. Greatness is in that location, and information technology'southward what I hope to be a part of."

He immersed himself in the area similar he immerses himself in training. That meant wandering around downtown, taking in a Celtics game with Edelman, visiting the Paul Revere House and the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, and eating at the spots known for wicked chowdah.

Cooks, equally unrelenting as a January nor'easter, is in his chemical element now. This is where his hopes and dreams are.

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Cooks has numbers in his head, numbers he believes he can accomplish in the offense he is and so amped to be a part of. Those numbers will remain in his head.

He has no doubt he is capable of much more he has achieved.

"The way I've been growing and becoming a smarter actor and person, I encounter the potential to do great things as long as I stay focused and take it day past solar day," he says.

It is safe to presume he expects to be filling the Foxborough skies with imaginary arrows from now until tardily Jan.

On a wall in the vestibule of Cooks' Oregon dwelling house, just off the entranceway, are three arrows. He calls himself The Archer. His big-play celebration—pretending to shoot an arrow—is a tribute to Psalm 144:6: Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot your arrows and rout them.

"I beloved that scripture for multiple reasons," Cooks says. "When y'all go out in that location, it is almost equally if you are going to battle. It's nowhere most like what is done by the men and women who serve our land, but that'southward the fashion I like to call back about it. It puts me in the mind frame—it'southward time to go to boxing. And information technology's a way to give God thanks, give him the glory."

Cooks feels obligated to do more—obligated to his father, to his mother and brothers, to Belichick and Brady, to all the skilful people who take helped him, and to a higher ability.

"I think," he says, "I've been given a souvenir from God."

If Cooks is everything he can be, Patriots fans might be thinking the same affair.

Dan Pompei covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @danpompei.

Source: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2727419-preparing-to-be-a-pat-brandin-cooks-determined-not-to-waste-shot-at-greatness

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