There were reports that the New England Patriots traded wide receiver Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams because they want to acquire star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants. The Giants said they’re not planning to trade Beckham, but rumor has it that the team wants two first-round picks for the All-Pro wideout. The Patriots could be an ideal trade partner because they hold the No. 23 selection from the Cooks trade and No. 31 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. While the Patriots are silent about Beckham, NFL insider Jason La Canfora said the move to trade Cooks was not a precursor to acquire the Giants’ star wideout via trade.
Beckham a great fit for Patriots, Carter says
However, Hall of Fame wide receiver Cris Carter told "First Things First" on Fox Sports 1 that Beckham would be an ideal acquisition for the Patriots. Carter said that than offense with Tom Brady throwing to Beckham, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman would be “Christmas on they face.” Carter added that Brady, currently, is not throwing to the best athletes in the world. “OBJ is one of the best athletes in the world. If you marry those two, you're talking about success.” Earlier, Carter slammed Patriots coach Bill Belichick for benching cornerback Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII, saying his decision cost New England another Super Bowl ring. However, Stephen A.
Smith of ESPN’s “First Take” said a trade to the Patriots would be Beckham’s worst nightmare, despite the appeal of catching passes from Brady. Smith believes that the Patriots will not take a chance on Beckham, who will become a free agent after this season.
Sharpe speaks mind about Cooks trade
Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, for his part, declared that he didn’t like the Patriots’ decision to trade Cooks to the Rams, for now.
The Patriots recently shipped Cooks and a fourth-round pick to the Rams for the 23rd overall pick and a sixth-round selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Patriots managed to trade away Cooks because of their deep wide receiving corps that also includes Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Malcolm Mitchell, Kenny Britt, Cordarrelle Patterson, Matthew Slater, Riley McCarron and Cody Hollister.
When asked on Fox Sports 1’s “Undisputed” about the Cooks trade, Sharpe said he has doubts over whether the Patriots are doing enough to ensure that Brady has enough targets to work with next season. However, Sharpe said his opinion could change, depending on what the Patriots do with their first-round pick from the Rams. Aside from Cooks, the Patriots lost veteran wideout Danny Amendola, who signed a two-year deal worth $12 million with the Miami Dolphins.
