Brandin Cooks Could Make NFL History with Fifth Trade
The veteran wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, Brandin Cooks, is once again in the trade-rumour mill — and this time the possibility carries historic significance. If Cooks is dealt ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline, he would become the first player in NFL history to be traded five times.
A Unique Career of Movement
Cooks entered the NFL in 2014 as the 20th overall pick by the Saints, jumping into the league as a deep-threat receiver with speed and big-play ability. ([Pro Football Rumors][2]) Over the years he has been traded four times — equaling the previous all-time mark set by Eric Dickerson and Kiko Alonso.
1. New Orleans → New England (2017)
2. New England → Los Angeles Rams (2018)
3. Los Angeles Rams → Houston Texans (2020)
4. Houston Texans → Dallas Cowboys (2023)
A fifth trade would push him past the prior record and make his name synonymous with player-mobility in the NFL.
Why A Fifth Trade Is On The Table
According to reports, with the Saints currently at 1-6 this season, general manager Mickey Loomis is “very open” to moving veterans who have manageable contracts and could help another team immediately.
Cooks, who signed a two-year, $13 million deal with New Orleans this offseason, carries a salary structure that could make him relatively easy to trade. ([ESPN][5]) He has registered 14 receptions for 127 yards through seven games this season.
From an acquiring team’s perspective, he still offers value: multiple 1,000-yard seasons, big-play threat, and veteran savvy.
For the Saints, this is a potential chance to extract value rather than remain in a rebuilding limbo.
What It Would Mean If the Saints trade Cooks:
* It would mark the first **five-time trade** of any NFL player, creating a new benchmark.
* It would continue the narrative of Cooks as a highly tradable asset — good enough that teams repeatedly seek him, but never quite a long-term fixture in one place.
* For the Saints, it offers a pivot point: instead of simply being short-term underperformers, they could begin to extract future assets and lean into a reset.
Considerations & Caveats
* Cooks has said in past seasons that he doesn’t “think about” being traded and wants stability.
* A trade requires the right deal: the Saints will want draft capital or assets that align with their rebuild.
* Cooks will turn 33 this season, and while still productive, age and role fit will factor into which teams might step in.
* The trade market this year isn’t overflowing with clear buyers for veteran receivers with higher cap hits. The Saints will have to find the right match.
The Bottom Line
Brandin Cooks is once again in the trade conversation and if moved, he would rewrite a small but interesting piece of NFL history: becoming the first player traded five times. For the Saints, it may serve as both a symbolic and practical inflection point in their current season.
Only time will tell whether the trade deadline produces the deal — and which team snaps up the veteran playmaker.