The NFL's 10 Best Deep-Ball Wide Receivers in 2017
8. Brandin Cooks, New England Patriots
Deep Targets: 48 | Target NEP per Target: 0.90 | Success Rate: 50.00%
Brandin Cooks is the other receiver in the top five of deep-ball volume who managed to crank out other-worldly efficiency. This efficiency -- oddly enough -- also made him an outlier among the New England Patriots' pass catchers.
Below is a look at how Cooks fared on deep balls in comparison to the rest of the team.
| Deep Balls in 2017 | Attempts | Target NEP | Target NEP per Target | Success Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Targeting Brandin Cooks | 48 | 42.97 | 0.90 | 50.00% |
| Targeting All Other Players | 78 | 35.26 | 0.45 | 42.31% |
The league-average Target NEP per target on a deep ball is 0.42, meaning that when Tom Brady wasn't targeting Cooks, he was just another guy. When targeting Cooks, he had the fourth-best deep ball efficiency in the league. Cooks made a huge difference on this offense.
This isn't to say that Brady is in decline, but it's certainly a deviation from what happened in 2016. Even without Cooks, Brady still led the league in Passing NEP per attempt on deep balls. His numbers that year were even better than what he did when targeting Cooks this year. We shouldn't overreact to this, but it is at least worth noting.
Cooks is entering the final year of his rookie deal in what will be his age-25 season. Based on what he did in 2017, it would seem they need him to be there beyond that. Otherwise, Brady's deep-ball abilities could crumble in his final years, or the guy who takes over could be left with a less desirable spread of pass catchers.
