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Report: Patriots pick up Cooks' 5th-year option

Derick E. Hingle / USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots have exercised the 2018 fifth-year option on Brandin Cooks' rookie contract, a source told ESPN's Field Yates.

The Patriots traded their 2017 first-round pick to the New Orleans Saints for the wide receiver this offseason.

After giving up a premium pick to acquire Cooks, it was an easy decision to add another year onto his deal.

Cooks put together back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns with the Saints, but saw the passing offense shift more toward rookie Michael Thomas last season.

He will have to continue to fight for targets in a stacked Patriots offense that includes receivers Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, Danny Amendola, and Malcolm Mitchell, as well as pass-catching backs James White, Dion Lewis, and Rex Burkhead, and star tight end Rob Gronkowski.

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