Nov 9, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks (10) warms up before the game at Bank of America Stadium.

The Buffalo Bills kicked off Week 12 NFL action with a loss to the Houston Texans on "Thursday Night Football." Buffalo struggled to slow the Texans' ferocious pass rush as Houston registered eight sacks for 70 yards.

With the extra time off ahead of their Week 13 game on the road versus Pittsburgh, the Bills are bringing in some veteran reinforcements to help the offense.

Wide receiver Brandin Cooks is signing with the Bills, per multiple reports. The former first-round pick spent less than a full week as a free agent after the New Orleans Saints released him Nov. 19.

Buffalo is the sixth team Cooks has played for in the NFL. He joins the AFC contender and follows a recent trend for the Bills after they added Amari Cooper via trade last season.

Here's how he fits in to a crowded wide receiver room in Buffalo.

Bills WR depth chart

  • Joshua Palmer
  • Khalil Shakir
  • Keon Coleman
  • Tyrell Shavers
  • Elijah Moore
  • Curtis Samuel
  • Brandin Cooks
  • Gabe Davis (practice squad)
  • Stephen Gosnell (practice squad)

Cooks is the latest veteran addition to the room for the 2025 season. Palmer and Moore came to the team via free agency this past offseason.

Brandin Cooks stats

New Orleans drafted Cooks in the first round, No. 20 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. He tallied six 1,000-yard seasons in his first eight years in the league but hasn't surpassed 700 yards receiving since 2021.

Here's his stats for the 2025 season so far with 10 games played for New Orleans:

  • Targets: 25
  • Catches: 19
  • Receiving yards: 165
  • Receiving touchdowns: 0

What teams has Brandin Cooks played for?

Buffalo will be the sixth team Cooks has played for in the NFL during his 12-year career. Here are the others:

  • New Orleans Saints (2014-2016, 2025)
  • New England Patriots (2017)
  • Los Angeles Rams (2018-2019)
  • Houston Texans (2020-2022)
  • Dallas Cowboys (2023-2024)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Reports: Brandin Cooks joining Buffalo Bills ahead of Week 13

Reporting by Ayrton Ostly, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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