If His Retweet Is Any Indication Then Sean Payton Isn't Pleased About Brandin Cooks Trade Rumors

Original Tweet:

Expect trade talks with this offseason centered around speedy #Saints WR Brandin Cooks: https://t.co/mfWvWKfa90 https://t.co/wxR3pjbLMY

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 4, 2016

The Response Sean Payton Retweeted:

@RapSheet @NFL plz research JUST A LITTLE BIT instead of closing your eyes&throwing a dart@a board to decide what you're going to "report"

— Bob Rose (@bobbyr2613) December 4, 2016

Sean Payton's Official Response: 

Asked about it after the Saints' 28-13 loss to the Detroit Lions, the coach made himself a little clearer.

"That's garbage," Payton said. "That's a false report. That's an agent picking up the phone and calling up ... There's nothing to the report."



Do I think the Saints intend to move a young, valuable piece to their offense just because he expressed frustration with his usage in a single game? Of course not. Obviously there are only a handful of untouchable players in the NFL and Brandin Cooks isn't one of them, but I highly doubt that Ian Rapoport has a valid source confirming that New Orleans is looking to divorce themselves from one the most dangerous deep threats in the entire league. That said, I can't truly criticize him for reporting on it either, because he's almost certainly not wrong.

I understand why Sean Payton is annoyed, but I also understand that the Saints will undoubtedly be fielding calls about their most explosive weapon during the offseason. They won't be the ones initiating those one-sided talks that will more than likely end abruptly after they find themselves insulted by the offer, but they will have them. When a player of Brandin Cooks caliber implies that he might be better off elsewhere, elsewhere is going to pick up the phone and find out what it's going to take to get him there.

And that, my friends, is why I prefer that players don't air their grivances on social media like high maintenance high school girlfriends. Not because athletes shouldn't be looking out for their own professional well being, but because doing so in front of the general public signals a disconnect with their employer. I don't know where Ian Rapoport got this information from and I honestly don't care, because even if it's fabricated or exaggerated it's the easiest "recon" he's ever had to fabricate or exaggerate. It may not be rooted in truth right now, but it will be when teams are looking to add talented pass catchers in the offseason. Whether Sean Payton likes it or not, it's his player that enabled the distraction of other teams' interest and the (potentially false) news reports that were sure to follow.