Sean McVay: I ‘promise’ Rams are not trading Brandin Cooks

Brandin Cooks had an excellent season with the Los Angeles Rams this year, but similar production in 2016 and 2017 was not enough to prevent him from being traded by his two previous teams. According to the wide receiver’s third head coach in as many seasons, that is not going to happen again this year.

Rams coach Sean McVay had high praise for Cooks on Tuesday and told reporters at the Super Bowl that there’s no way he will be traded heading into next season.

“Everybody that’s been around Brandin you can’t talk enough about the production. This is a special human being,” McVay said, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com. “The way he goes about his business. Guys like him are why you love coaching. … I could go on and on about what he’s done for this football team. He’s been instrumental in us getting here. Love that guy and you can’t say enough good things about Brandin Cooks. I can promise you this: We’re not trading him.”

McVay also noted that New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton — both of whom coached Cooks before he ended up in LA — “think the world” of the former first-round pick, so it’s not as if the trades are a reflection of his character.

Cooks signed a five-year, $81 million extension with the Rams after they acquired him from the Patriots last offseason. He was quick to fire back at one of his former teammates this week for talking smack heading into the Super Bowl, so it seems like he has adjusted to life with his latest team quite well. With how explosive the Rams’ offense looked all year, it makes sense that they have no intention of breaking it up.