Rams snooze and lose final piece for Super Bowl run snatched by Brandon Beane

The parallels of the 2021 Super Bowl season and events of this season are difficult to ignore. The 9-2 Los Angeles Rams are getting a phenomenal season out of their veteran starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford, are showing a respectable defense, and have unbridled success.

But one of the missing landmarks from that 2021 Super Bowl run was the mid-season replenishment of the roster by trading for outside linebacker Von Miller, and signing wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. While the team opted not to add to the pass rush, an accomplished former Rams wide receiver who helped carry the team into Super Bowl LIII was waived.

Veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks was waived by the New Orleans Saints, who cleared waivers to become a free agent. Cooks' unexpected availability piqued plenty of interest, including that of some Rams fans who recalled his heroics in 2018 to carry the team to the Super Bowl that year to face the New England Patriots.

But Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane lay in waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike, and snatching an ideal fit from Los Angeles was the chance he sought.

Brandon Beane is frequently linked to Rams

When it comes to Los Angeles, there is no love lost between general manager Les Snead and his contemporary, Brandon Beane. Beane is one of the few NFL GMs who consistently appear in Rams headlines, and not always under favorable circumstances.

Beane is the general manager who called out the team for paying present players with future dollars, only to suffer the same fate. It was the Bills that overpaid Von Miller after his Super Bowl season in Horns, only to rework his contract when he didn't meet lofty expectations.

And it has been Beane who has made it a point to shop for ex-Rams pass rushers, ultimately signing not just Miller, but Leonard Floyd and then Michael Hoecht as well. Hoecht's departure was somewhat bittersweet, as he was willing to do anything asked of him. But he had to serve a six-game suspension to start 2025, a punishment that fell upon the Bills to address.

And now, the Bills have signed veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks.

Cooks is the speedy deep-ball threat who gave head coach Sean McVay's offense that missing ingredient in 2018 to unlock his optimal offense. Since then, the team has attempted to replicate Cooks' role unsuccessfully.

But the speedy veteran has suffered diminishing returns as well. Now in his 11th NFL season, injuries and concussions have caught up to him. At the same time, his last 1000+ yards season was 2021.

If LA's offense needed a full-time player, Cooks was never going to be that guy. But with both Puka Nacua and Davante Adams showcasing great seasons already, the team merely needs a third rotational receiver to threaten secondaries deep. Perhaps Tutu Atwell can finally fill that niche role? It certainly is one that Cooks has mastered.

While mildly disappointing, history is on Les Snead's side. If the Rams are thwarted at adding a player to the roster, the Plan B alternative often is a better option. As always, thanks for reading.