Brandin Cooks may get traded to the Titans or Eagles and shake up the 2017 NFL draft

Brandin Cooks is frustrated with his role in the New Orleans Saints offense and that discontent has sparked some trade rumors. Any deal involving the wide receiver could be significant enough to shake up the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.

According to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, the Tennessee Titans are favored to land Cooks, but the Philadelphia Eagles are also in the running. Alex Marvez of Sirius XM lists the Eagles as the favorite, and says a second-round pick could be enough to make the deal happen.

But that might be cheaper than reality. A trade that sends Cooks away from New Orleans likely involves a first-round pick.

Cooks, 23, hasn’t made a Pro Bowl or generated much hype during his three years in the NFL, but he’s been plenty productive. In each of the last two seasons he finished with more than 1,100 receiving yards, leading the prolific New Orleans offense in the category both years.

But when 2016 second-round pick Michael Thomas became the most-targeted receiver for the Saints in the latter half of his rookie season, Cooks wasn’t happy about it. After getting targeted zero times in a 49-21 win over the Los Angeles Rams, Cooks expressed that discontent.

“I feel like the opportunities will come,” Cooks told NOLA.com. “But at the same time this is a very emotional game and every once in a while you have to express that and you have to express what you want. Closed mouths don’t get fed.”

In February, Saints coach Sean Payton shot down the rumors, telling Sirius XM he “absolutely” expects Cooks to be back with the team in 2017. But the smoke has only increased since then and there may be fire. On Thursday, he admitted that a trade involving Cooks could make sense.

“I wouldn’t say he’s on the trade block but certainly when a team calls, a team that’s looking for a receiver – and we’re looking to improve our defense – we’re always listening,” Payton said. “I know (General Manager) Mickey (Loomis) has probably spoken to a handful of GMs or presidents with other teams, but right now I’m comfortable, we’re comfortable with (Cooks) in a Saints uniform.”

For the Saints — a team that needs to fix its defense while the window to win a Super Bowl with Drew Brees is still open — a trade would make sense if the price is right.

And the trades presented by Mortensen as possibilities are certainly valuable.

One scenario has the Titans simply trading their first-round pick (No. 18 overall) for Cooks, who was the Saints’ 20th pick in the first round of the 2014 draft. Another scenario, per sources, has the two teams swapping slots in the first round, involving the Titans moving from the No. 5 pick (acquired from the Rams) to the Saints’ 11th pick, with another pick or two also in play.

The Titans are one of two teams with two first-round picks, thanks to a trade that gave the Los Angeles Rams the No. 1 pick in 2016. The Eagles will own either the No. 14 or No. 15 pick, dependent upon a coin flip between the Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings on Friday.

New Orleans hasn’t been shy about sending away playmakers, because the offense has always thrived without them. In 2015, tight end Jimmy Graham was sent to the Seattle Seahawks for a first-round pick and center Max Unger, and days later Kenny Stills was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a third-round pick and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe.

The Saint didn’t miss a beat without Graham and Stills, finishing No. 2 in total yards in 2015 and No. 1 in 2016. With the emergence of Thomas and other young players on the roster like Willie Snead and Brandon Coleman, Cooks is more expendable in the Saints offense than he would be elsewhere.

But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be worth a first-round pick. He’s younger than many of the players in the 2017 draft class and has already showed his worth as an NFL receiver.

What could complicate things is the fact that Cooks is still on his rookie contract. Any team that acquires the receiver will want him to be a long-term piece and that means opening up the pocketbook in a big way.

Any trade involving Cooks will have to wait until the new league year and free agency begin on March 9. But a deal could make sense for all parties and send one of the most promising young receivers to a new offense.