After being traded to the Los Angeles Rams by the Patriots earlier this offseason, Brandin Cooks looks like he's staying in L.A. According to Adam Schefter, Cooks signed a five-year contract extension worth $80 million with the Rams on Tuesday, just a year before he could have become a free agent in the 2019 offseason. He will be with the Rams for six years and command $88 million during that stretch.
Rams are giving WR Brandin Cooks a five-year extension worth $80 million, tying him to LA for six years at $88 million, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 17, 2018
Cooks' deal will keep his approximate salary of $8.46 million this year in place before it spikes when the extension kicks in next season. The average worth of his extension is $16 million, and it keeps him in Los Angeles until the 2023 season.
The Rams will be Cooks' third team in three years. He started his career with the New Orleans Saints before being traded to the Patriots prior to last season. Known as a burner on the outside, the Rams hope Cooks will be an upgrade from Sammy Watkins, who caught 39 passes for 593 yards last year. Watkins departed for the Chiefs this offseason, which prompted the Rams to trade their first and sixth-round picks to New England for Cooks and a fourth-rounder.
It's the first time in Cooks' career that he hasn't had one of the league's highest-tier quarterbacks throwing to him, so it's a gamble for the Rams. However, if he can play up to the level of production he's undoubtedly capable of, it's a big win for the Rams' receiving corps. Cooks has shown flashes of brilliance over the past four years. This contract puts him on par with Watkins in terms of yearly salary.
