Free agent WR Brandin Cooks works out for Ravens

Cooks is probably a fallback plan for the Bills if they don’t draft someone. Even if he’s signed, the pecking order in targets in Buffalo has radically changed with DJ Moore in town and fantasy managers shouldn’t be expecting more than a WR5 role for Cooks.

Cooks made two spectacular almost catches. On one of them, he caught the ball while twisting on the sideline, and his knee came down in bounds, but his wrist landed a fraction of a second earlier and landed out of bounds. The other play was far more controversial. It seemed like Cooks had hauled in a 44-yard pass to set the Bills up for a game-winning field goal in overtime, but the ball was stripped away by a Broncos defender. The Bills believed Cooks was down by contact before the ball was stripped loose, but the call was not reviewed, and the Broncos would then drive for a game-winning field goal of their own. The 32-year-old came on down the stretch for the Bills, showing that he still has enough deep speed to make big plays. He finished the season with 24 catches on 36 targets for 279 yards and no touchdowns in 15 games with the Bills and Saints. Some team will sign him in free agency and give him a role as a deep threat.

Cooks came down with a 36-yard bomb from Josh Allen late in the fourth quarter that eventually set up a go-ahead score. He finished the day second on the team in catches, targets, and yards. With Josh Palmer on IR, there was already plenty of volume up for grabs in the receiver room. The Bills then lost Gabe Davis to a knee injury late in this game. His status for the Divisional Round is up in the air. Cooks will likely operate as the team’s No. 2 receiver next week, putting him squarely on the DFS radar as a salary relief option.

Every other player the Bills declared inactive is a key starter, like Dion Dawkins or Greg Rousseau, so this says a lot about how important Cooks is to the Buffalo offense despite only being on the roster for three games. The 32-year-old posted a 100-yard game last week and has emerged as the primary deep threat for Josh Allen and the offense. Expect Cooks to be a key contributor in the playoffs for as long as the Bills can keep winning.

Cooks came into this game with just one catch and two drops in his two games with the Bills. However, Josh Allen kept firing deep shots to him and, in the first quarter, Cooks finally hauled in a huge 50-yard completion. Later in the game, on the Bills’ final offensive possession, Cooks converted on a key third-down catch and then made a ridiculous 36-yard grab with a defender draped all over him. At 32 years old, Cooks is not the receiver he used to be, but he can still make some plays down the field, and the Bills are clearly relying on him to do so. If Josh Allen plays in Week 18 against the Jets, we’d expect to see more deep shots to Cooks in an offense that is dying for big plays.

Cooks was targeted on a third-down play on the Bills’ first drive of the game, and he converted a nice hitch route to move the chains. He was not targeted again. It’s obvious that he didn’t have a lot of time to learn the playbook, but it’s still surprising to see the Bills not try to use him more after that first drive.

Cooks has just 1,081 yards over his last 36 games and will need to prove to us that he’ll be a fantasy factor before we recommend adding him in anything but the deepest leagues. He did have a lower-rung role with the Saints early in the season, with 15 targets in his first four weeks, but his work eventually dwindled. It’s a big-name add, but not necessarily one that shakes up the fantasy landscape.

For real this time. Cooks was reportedly waived earlier in the week, but contract issues stalled the move. The Saints were cutting the veteran wideout to allow him to sign with a contender of his choosing. They restructured his contract before cutting him to make it more unappealing, ensuring no one would claim him on waivers. That is explicitly prohibited by the NFL. This issue has since been resolved and Cooks is now able to be claimed by teams.

Cooks and the Saints still plan to part ways once these technicalities are resolved. The veteran receiver will likely be released in the coming days and will be free to sign wherever he pleases if he clears waivers. Cooks has caught 19 passes for 165 scoreless yards this season. Wherever he lands, he will be little more than added depth.

Per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, Cooks agreed to a pay cut in a mutual parting of ways. Cooks will be subject to waivers. Assuming no one claims him, the veteran wideout will be free to sign wherever he wants. His release allows him to join a contender and gives the Saints some money back. Cooks has 19 catches for 165 yards this year. He will be a depth option no matter where he signs.