Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your day:
A few thoughts on Brandin Cooks, the Patriots and where everything goes from here:
--With Cooks, there was a lot of good -- he finished last year with 65 catches for 1,082 yards (11th in the league) and seven touchdowns. He was seventh in the league in yards per catch (16.6), and had 15 catches of 25 yards or more, tied for third in the league in 2017 and second in franchise history. In addition, Cooks’ seven catches of 40-plus yards were tied for second in the league with Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown. His finest moment of 2017? This artful game-winning that came after a toe-tap in the end zone to beat the Texans.
He was also on the end of this rainbow from Brady against the Raiders, a 64-yarder that was the longest pass play of the season for the Patriots.
But the last image we have of Cooks is from the Super Bowl.
--This is what's going to stick with people. I remain convinced that if he had just managed to pick up that first down, the whole complexion of the game changes. (Put a move on the guy. Outrace him to the sideline. Anything but that.) Of course, he wasn't the only one to blame -- Stephen Gostkowski missed a chip-shot field-goal attempt right after this -- but this was one of his final plays in a Patriots' uniform. Tough image to shake, and a sour way for his New England career to come to an end.
--The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced this is a good move for both teams. The Rams are all-in on maximizing their Super Bowl window, and Cooks is capable of bringing a dynamic element to their passing game. The Patriots got a one-year rental with the receiver, and don't have to worry about the possibility of paying him between $12 million and $16 million annually moving forward after this season. They also get a first-round pick in return.
--Looking forward, at this stage of the pre-draft process, Bill Belichick has never had two first-round picks and two second-round picks. He’s probably not going to use them both, but the mind reels at the possibilities between now and then. It’s also worth mentioning that he has five picks in the top 100 — he hasn’t had five top 100 selections since 2011, the same draft that netted them starters and impact players like Nate Solder, Shane Vereen, Stevan Ridley and Marcus Cannon. Again, he’s probably not going to use them all, but the Patriots’ coach now goes into the draft with almost unprecedented draft capital.
--The Patriots are theoretically in position to address some serious offseason needs, including linebacker depth, left tackle and quarterback. In short, this is starting to feel a little like 2012 when the Patriots used first-round picks on Chandler Jones and Dont’a Hightower. If he does stick at No. 23 and 31, it’ll be interesting if they double-dip on the defensive side of the football again.
--After Tuesday, put me in the camp of this means there’s no deal looming that would send Rob Gronkowski anywhere (the additional cap space could increase his chances of getting a salary bump, at least in the short-term) or bring Odell Beckham, Jr., to Foxborough (the Patriots just extricated themselves from a potentially dicey salary situation with one receiver — they’re not jumping into another one). The additional cash that was freed up also means that Shaq Mason and Trey Flowers could be in line for an extension sooner rather than later.
--And finally, if they’re in love with one of the big-name quarterbacks — Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield or Lamar Jackson — they could always push their chips to the middle of the table and go after one of them, leapfrogging past some of their competitors in hopes of landing the next big name. It’s not likely, but it’s another example of the additional layer of intrigue that’s now been added to the Patriots’ pre-draft process because of this deal.
--Wednesday's notable Pro Day slate: Ball State, LSU, New Mexico State.
Now, on to the links...
1. Greg looked at the possibilities that are now available to the Patriots in the wake of the trade.
2. I had the meat and potatoes elements of the Cooks trade.
3. Miguel looked at the salary cap ramifications of the swap.
4. I took a deep dive -- complete with video -- into Hayden Hurst's background, a guy who could be the best tight end in the draft.
5. Greg talked to Will Cain of ESPN Radio about the Patriots and Gronkowski.
6. I had a Tuesday afternoon Q&A. It was epic -- a ton of great questions.
7. Greg had an emergency late-night Q&A in the wake of the Cooks' move.
8. BSJ members weighed in on the state of the Patriots' defense.
9. Mike Reiss offers his take on the Cooks' trade.
10. Our buddy Tom E. Curran also gives his two cents on the move.
Extra Point: Cooks was also responsible for the greatest "Tom Brady without context" quote of the 2017 season.
Tom Brady without context: "Cookie kind of tailpiped him."
— Christopher Price (@cpriceNFL) October 23, 2017