Cooks’ leadership is already on display.
With Derek Carr no longer on the team, the New Orleans Saints need their quarterbacks to start forming tight connections with their wide receivers. We expect Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler to be the two guys battling it out for the starting spot, but it’s important for guys like Jake Haener and Hunter Dekkers to get some reps with the ones as well.
Brandin Cooks, who the Saints brought back this offseason, organized a workout in Oregon to do just that. Shough, Haener and Dekkers were there throwing to Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Cooks and others earlier this week.
Many of the Saints receivers worked in Beaverton the last two days with Tyler Shough, Jake Haener and Hunter Dekkers. Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Cooks, etc. were all there.
Brandin Cooks organized the session and get everyone out here. Shough scripted the throwing sessions.
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) July 2, 2025
Shough credited Cooks for his leadership this offseason, adding that he looks up to him and hopes he can learn a lot about how to stay in the league for a long time.
“I think he understands what it takes to stay in the league and have success. He’s someone I want to continue to learn from and also grow in my own right as a leader. I want to do everything I can to grow that relationship.”
According to Nick Underhill’s report, Shough went to work scripting the throwing sessions with plays from the Saints’ playbook. Ever since he’s arrived in New Orleans, he’s seemingly done everything right. He’s embraced New Orleans and the fanbase and has been hard at work on the field.
Spencer Rattler was notably absent from the workout, but Underhill reported that he was hosting a camp at South Carolina, otherwise he would’ve been there.
Spencer Rattler was hosting his camp in South Carolina otherwise he would have been out there.
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) July 2, 2025
Workouts like these are incredibly important for building relationships within the team. The fact that they were able to get all the quarterbacks (outside of Rattler) and the big three receivers out there for a two-day practice says a lot about this team’s work ethic and desire to get better.