Rams tried to trade for Cooks last season

If the Los Angeles Rams had it their way, they would've landed receiver Brandin Cooks a year ago.

After acquiring Cooks in a trade with the New England Patriots on Tuesday, Rams GM Les Snead revealed to Peter King of The MMQB that the team targeted the receiver before eventually trading for Sammy Watkins in August.

"At that time, we didn't have a first-round pick and New England did, and that made all the difference," Snead said. "We discussed (cornerback) Trumaine Johnson with New Orleans, but we could not trump New England's one."

The Saints traded Cooks and a fourth-round pick to the Patriots for a first- and third-round selection last March. With a first-round pick in tow this offseason, the Rams used it and a sixth-round selection to land Cooks and a fourth-round pick.