The Buffalo Bills may have waited until after the trade deadline to make a move, but they didn’t waste time once Brandin Cooks hit the open market. The veteran wide receiver, recently released by the New Orleans Saints after a stretch of limited usage, now finds himself in a Bills uniform - and already making an impression.
Cooks made his Buffalo debut this past Sunday against the Steelers, and while the box score won’t raise eyebrows - one catch for 13 yards - the impact goes beyond the stat sheet. On his very first snap as a Bill, Cooks hauled in a pass, a small sample but a sign of how quickly the team is looking to integrate him into the offense.
And it’s not just the coaches noticing. Teammates are already singing his praises.
“He's awesome,” said fellow receiver Khalil Shakir. “His vibe is amazing.
He's just a fast, quick, twitchy receiver. And I think just everything that he does - he’s one of those guys, I've said in the past before, where you get certain guys that they go out there and play, and you just want to watch them and see what they do.”
That’s high praise from a teammate, and it speaks to what Cooks has brought to every locker room he’s entered throughout his career - speed, professionalism, and the ability to stretch a defense. Even at this stage of the season, and even after a quiet stint with the Saints, Cooks still has the kind of burst that can alter a defensive game plan.
And right now, the Bills could use that spark. With Josh Palmer continuing to deal with injury issues, Buffalo has been searching for someone who can consistently take the top off a defense.
Cooks has made a career out of doing just that - whether it was in New Orleans, New England, Los Angeles, or Houston. Now, he has a chance to do it in Buffalo.
The timing couldn’t be better. The Bills are preparing to face a Bengals defense that has shown some vulnerability against the deep ball. If Cooks can find a seam or two, he could quickly become more than just a depth piece - he could be a real weapon down the stretch.
It’s not often you get to add a player with Cooks’ résumé this late in the year. But the Bills saw an opportunity, and now it’s up to Cooks to show he’s still got that game-breaking gear. Based on early returns - and the buzz in the locker room - he might be just what Buffalo needs to keep defenses honest and the offense humming.