The Lede: The Patriots get Patriot-er(?)

Don’t have time to read through 1,000 words, but need some informed betting tips? Here’s a quick rundown on today’s biggest sports story, and how it impacts the way you should bet. Miss the last one? See it here.

New England Patriots Acquire Brandin Cooks via Trade

“Aren’t five Super Bowls enough?” said the other 31 NFL franchises when news broke of the Patriots acquiring speedy wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the New Orleans Saints on Friday night. New England also received a fourth-round pick in the deal, while sending their first and third-round picks from the upcoming draft the other way. The rich just keep getting richer.

Cooks is the perfect complement to the Patriot receiving corps. With all due respect to Chris Hogan, he doesn’t possess the speed to blow the top off a defense. He may have done so a few times last season, but he doesn’t instill fear in corners trying to man him up, nor safeties who have deep-zone responsibilities. Cooks does exactly that. The former Saint will open up a lot more space for Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, and the pass-catchers out of the backfield to maneuver underneath.

How does this affect your betting? Well, the Pats offense should be even more lethal than last season. Not only do they acquire a tremendously talented weapon for Tom Brady, but the Pats also enjoy consistency on the offensive side, with Josh McDaniels choosing to turn down head coaching opportunities to remain with the team. If you’re looking for an early Super Bowl LII favorite, look no further. (I know, how shocking.) If you want to get creative and bet on the team to score the most points, I like New England to overtake Atlanta. In terms of fantasy, Brady will be the top QB, while Cooks might get a little boost from his WR8 standing last season.

Down in the Bayou, it looks like New Orleans may be preparing for a major rebuild, rather than going all-in for Drew Brees’ last couple seasons.