Saints Signed a 6-foot-4 Wide-out WR With A World Record At Jacksonville Jaguars last year, per Luke Johnson
The New Orleans Saints continued to tinker with their wide receiver room on Tuesday, agreeing to terms with Elijah Cooks, a 6-foot-4 target who most recently spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Luke Johnson.
The move adds size and competition to a group in transition as the Saints shape their roster ahead of the upcoming season.
Cooks enters New Orleans as a developmental option with intriguing physical traits. At 6-foot-4, he brings a catch-radius advantage that can be valuable in contested situations and in the red zone, an area the Saints have emphasized in recent personnel moves. While his professional résumé remains modest, the organization clearly sees upside in his frame, length, and willingness to work the middle of the field.
Last season, Cooks was part of Jacksonville’s wide receiver depth, spending time learning the Jaguars’ system and contributing on the practice squad. Though opportunities were limited, that experience in an AFC contender’s program offered exposure to NFL speed, route detail, and the daily demands of the league. For a young receiver, simply surviving on a roster through an entire year can be a meaningful step in development.
For the Saints, the signing reflects an ongoing effort to evaluate affordable, high-upside talent. With the offseason program underway, New Orleans is expected to cycle through receivers who can complement its established pass catchers while also offering special teams potential. Cooks’ size could translate into value as a blocker on the perimeter or as a target on back-shoulder throws, fade routes, and quick slants near the goal line.
The competition will be stiff. The Saints’ receiving room features a mix of veterans and younger players fighting for roles, making every practice rep crucial. Cooks will need to show consistency in his releases, hands, and route timing to carve out a path toward a roster spot. Training camp and preseason action will likely determine whether he can separate himself from the pack.
From a broader perspective, the move underscores how teams use the back end of the roster to search for traits that can be refined. Not every signing is about immediate production; some are about finding a player who fits a specific mold and seeing whether coaching can unlock more. In Cooks, the Saints are betting that size, patience, and development can eventually pay dividends.
As camp approaches, all eyes will be on how Cooks adapts to New Orleans’ playbook and culture. If he can translate his physical tools into reliable on-field performance, the Saints may have found a quietly intriguing addition to their offense.
The signing also provides coaching staff flexibility during evaluations, allowing different alignments and personnel groupings in practice. Whether Cooks sticks long term remains uncertain, but his arrival ensures competition stays high, a hallmark approach the Saints have embraced throughout recent offseasons and sustained roster growth.