New England Patriots: Moss comparison unfair to young speedster Cooks
By Matty Simo
New wide receiver Brandin Cooks met the media for the first time since joining the New England Patriots on Tuesday. Cooks is expected to make an immediate impact, but comparing him to future Hall of Famer Randy Moss is not fair to either player.
When owner Robert Kraft compared newly acquired wide receiver Brandin Cooks to Randy Moss, he was simply talking about his potential with the New England Patriots. Not even Kraft could have envisioned Moss setting an NFL single-season record for touchdowns with 23.
The 6-foot-4 Moss revived his career in New England and scored more than twice as many touchdowns in his first season as a Patriot than he did in his previous two years combined (11) with the Oakland Raiders. He was acquired for a fourth-round pick in 2007 after falling out of favor with both the Raiders and Minnesota Vikings.
The 5-10 Cooks is on the opposite end of the spectrum as Moss in just about every way. It took a first-round pick to get him from the New Orleans Saints, who have now surrendered their top offensive weapon via trade in two of the past three offseasons. Cooks also has a lot more upside than Moss did a decade ago, with his best clearly yet to come.
Even though New England became the first team ever to go 16-0 during the regular season with Moss and got to the Super Bowl, he never earned that elusive ring. Statistically speaking, you can still make the argument that he was a better Viking.
With Cooks, he is coming off consecutive 1,000-yard seasons but has never scored 10 times or had more than 84 receptions in a single campaign. Like Moss, he is a deep threat, but that is where the comparisons should end.
Cooks was selected one spot ahead of where Moss was taken in their respective drafts. Some believe he was underutilized by New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees in his three years there.
None of that matters now, as it will be Tom Brady throwing him the ball instead of Brees. And Cooks seems pretty happy about the situation he is in. Who wouldn’t be? He does not have much pressure on him when you consider seven Patriots had 23 receptions or more last season. In Moss’ first season with New England, he and Wes Welker totaled 210 catches between them.
Here’s what Cooks had to say Tuesday about his first impression of Brady according to ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss:
"He’s an awesome quarterback. I’m glad to have an opportunity to be able to play with him. His attention to detail and how focused he is. It’s something that I look at him and try to [strive] for be just like that. Obviously, the game on TV, he’s amazing. But to see him now, in person and his study habits, is awesome."
There’s no doubt the prolific combination of Brady and Moss was awesome back in 2007. But they ultimately failed to win a Vince Lombardi Trophy together. Cooks will have a great shot to win one in his first year with his new quarterback. That is awesome in itself, and something he had little chance to do with his old one.