Report: Saints trade Cooks to Patriots for package including 1st-round pick

Tom Brady has a new weapon.

In what is already their third trade of the young offseason, the New England Patriots have pulled off a blockbuster deal by acquiring wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the New Orleans Saints, sources tell ESPN's Dianna Russini.

The Patriots will reportedly send their first-round pick (No. 32 overall) and a third-round pick (No. 103 overall) to New Orleans in exchange for Cooks and a fourth-rounder (No. 118).

Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler's name reportedly came up during trade talks, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. While he was left out of this deal, a future swap involving Butler remains a possibility.

Cooks adds yet another element to an already dynamic Patriots passing attack, giving Brady a receiver capable of not only making plays after the catch but also taking the top off the defense.

The 23-year-old was a consistent contributor for a similarly explosive Saints offense over each of the past two years, tallying a total of 162 catches for 2,311 yards and 17 touchdowns.

For New England, the fact that the former first-round pick still has two years remaining on an inexpensive rookie contract adds even more value.

An annually cap-strapped Saints organization moving on from such a player will come as somewhat of a surprise, but the return Cooks brings could go a long way toward solving the club's issues on the defensive side.

New Orleans now has five picks in the first three rounds, and nine in April's draft overall, to bolster the roster and potentially make another playoff run while Drew Brees is still playing at an All-Pro level.