June is almost here, meaning the 2025 NFL season is just over three months away. The anticipation for meaningful football will only climb from here, and the ongoing organized team activities (OTAs) around the league are only adding to that excitement.
The Dallas Cowboys kicked off their OTAs last week, and the action is set to resume with Wednesday's sessions. As promising as things appear in head coach Brian Schottenheimer's first year behind the bench, the same can't be said for some ex-Cowboys who found new homes this offseason, including one of their recent playmakers.
Former Cowboys WR Brandin Cooks Off to Nightmare Start With Saints
Several Cowboys left the Lone Star State for new opportunities in recent months, including Brandin Cooks. The veteran wide receiver left Dallas after two seasons with America's Team, signing a two-year, $13 million contract with the New Orleans Saints back in March.
With his new team's WR depth being questionable outside of Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, the Saints seemed like a solid destination for Cooks to rebound after an injury-plagued 2024 campaign. It also helped that the ex-Oregon State playmaker started his career in the Big Easy, having been drafted 20th overall by the Saints in 2014 before playing 42 games across three seasons with the franchise.
As promising as Cooks' outlook with New Orleans appeared, it didn't take long for things to turn sideways.
On May 10, Saints quarterback Derek Carr announced his retirement from the NFL. The 11-year veteran's injury history proved to be too much to overcome, leaving New Orleans (and Cooks) without a clear-cut No. 1 signal-caller only a few months away from the 2025 campaign.
Cooks' best athletic days are behind him, and he doesn't create his own chances as effectively as he once did, so he needed a reliable arm like Carr to succeed. With the Saints veteran hanging up his cleats while his replacement options are unproven, it's safe to say the ex-Cowboys WR's outlook is nothing short of a nightmare.
Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener both looked like disasters under center last season, whereas rookie QB Tyler Shough still hasn't proven what he can do at the NFL level. Undrafted first-year QB Hunter Dekkers won't fare any better and probably won't be more than a practice squad body.
Barring a quarterback-related trade, Cooks is likely in for a long 2025 season. Although some Cowboys fans will miss his presence in the lineup, the team's acquisition of George Pickens makes Cooks' exit easier to digest, especially if the latter's downward trajectory continues.
For now, Cowboys fans will continue watching Cooks' offseason from afar, leaving time to tell if his situation with the Saints will improve or not.