Brandin Cooks' Contract Option Reportedly Exercised by Patriots

The New England Patriots reportedly exercised the fifth-year option in the rookie contract of wide receiver Brandin Cooks on Saturday after acquiring him in a trade with the New Orleans Saints in March.

Field Yates of ESPN first reported the Pats' decision. Ian Rapoport‏ of the NFL Network confirmed the news, noting it was always an expected move following the deal.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a long-standing fan of Cooks. Evan Woodbery of the Times-Picayune noted he delivered high praise of the wideout following a 2015 preseason contest.

"I'm glad we don't have to play him twice a year and he's not in our division," he said. "He's a really good player."

Cooks continued to shine in New Orleans following those comments. In all, he racked up 215 catches for 2,861 yards and 20 touchdowns across 42 games with the Saints. Those numbers include two straight seasons with at least 1,100 receiving yards.

Zack Cox of NESN noted the dynamic playmaker, who can also be an asset as a rusher on trick plays, talked about the trade during an appearance on Patriots Today.

"Obviously, to play for an organization like this, it's a dream come true, and it's blessing," Cooks said. "So I couldn't be more thankful. ... I'm just thankful for the opportunity, and I can't wait to get started."

Cooks is now under contract with New England through the 2018 season, per Spotrac. He'll likely be one of the league's most cost-effective players in 2017 thanks to a modest $1.56 million cap hit.

Although no single player will dominate the targets from quarterback Tom Brady, the blockbuster addition should be right there with fellow wideout Julian Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowski atop the pecking order in the high-powered passing attack.