The Miami Dolphins have arguably the least-experienced wide receiver depth chart in the entire NFL.
Letting Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle go this offseason really changed things.
The current WR1 atop the depth chart is probably Malik Washington.
They’ve also got Jalen Tolbert aboard from the Dallas Cowboys.
The Dolphins used two third-round picks on wide receivers, Caleb Douglas and Chris Bell. They also picked wideout Kevin Coleman in the fifth round, and they signed unheralded free agent Ryan Miller.
Even intense Dolphins fans might take a little while to catch up with who all these wide receivers are.
And with that in mind, there might be a case for finding a veteran in free agency.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper wrote in a new article this week that the Dolphins should sign Brandin Cooks.
Why Brandin Cooks To The Dolphins
Popper makes a simple case for Cooks:
“Cooks can threaten defenses vertically. He is a refined and deceptive route runner. I like the Miami Dolphins as a fit here. Their offense is extremely thin at receiver. New quarterback Malik Willis needs some veteran help.”
Cooks will turn 33 years old on Sept. 25, but he can still get the job done.
He was a first-round pick by the New Orleans Saints back in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Cooks has played for the Saints, Rams, Texans, Cowboys, Patriots and Bills.
He has five different seasons in the NFL with more than 1,000 yards.
Last season, Cooks was let go by the Saints midway through the year to allow him to pursue a different opportunity, and he ended up in Buffalo.
In five regular season games with the Bills, Cooks caught a total of five passes for 114 yards.
Cooks also was nearly a hero in the playoffs for the Bills, but on his near-incredible catch, the referees instead ruled an interception for the Broncos that allowed Denver to end Buffalo’s season.
Do The Dolphins Need Brandin Cooks?
It’s a tricky question to answer.
On a raw talent level, maybe. The Dolphins clearly don’t have an impressive wide receiver room, even if the rookies put things together quickly.
But the Dolphins seem likely to be a run-heavy offense with Malik Willis at QB and De’Von Achane at RB. They may not need a high-powered passing attack.
Bringing in Cooks could also mean slowing down the development of the younger players — which could be good or bad, depending on how much his mentorship might matter versus how much simple playing time could help them.
The Dolphins only get to take one path here, and it’s not yet clear which way they’ll go. But it’d certainly add some intrigue if they decided to sign Cooks. He could end up with a sizable role in short order.
Dolphins ‘Fit’ Free Agent WR From Bills