METAIRIE, La. -- Coach Sean Payton said he is "not concerned" about receiver Brandin Cooks' apparent frustration with his role in the New Orleans Saints' offense.
Cooks wasn't targeted despite playing 45 snaps in the Saints' 49-21 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Cooks then made reference on Instagram to needing to become a "businessman," and sources told ESPN that he has expressed growing frustration throughout this season -- mostly over being used as a clear-out receiver instead of a primary option.
"Listen, Cooks is a real good football player, and we work extremely hard on these game plans," Payton said Wednesday. "I'd say it's a little unusual that we have a game where all of a sudden he's not targeted. But the first play of the game is supposed to be his play, and we don't get the right coverage look. We'll keep working at finding those opportunities for him to get those touches.
"Listen, he's a great kid. Actually, not a kid -- he's a fantastic player and a good man, and we have a great relationship. It's hard when you do have a game with a lot of numbers like that and a guy like Brandin works his tail off and doesn't have a target or a touch, and sometimes that can happen. But I would say that's rare. He's been explosive this season, he's certainly a primary target for us with what we do, and I think that's evident."
Cooks was a first-round draft pick in 2014 and has been one of the Saints' most dynamic offensive players over the past two seasons. He has 51 catches for 736 yards and six touchdowns this season, including two of the four longest catches in the NFL (98 and 87 yards, both for touchdowns).
However, Cooks ranks third on the Saints in both targets and catches per game, behind rookie Michael Thomas and Willie Snead. In the Rams' game in particular, the Saints featured a lot of quick, shorter throws to help neutralize the impact of pass-rushers Aaron Donald and Robert Quinn. And the offense thrived with a season-high 49 points and a total of 555 yards and five touchdown passes.
"I know he's frustrated with [his place in the offense], but I know he's a professional and he works hard," Snead said. "I expect him to have a great game this week and bounce back."
The Saints' offense has long been known for spreading the ball around to a variety of receivers in the Payton-Drew Brees era. Tight end Jimmy Graham is the only pass-catcher who has made the Pro Bowl in that 11-year span.
"We've had a lot of real good football players here. But I don't think we've ever been in a position where, 'Man, they're doubling such-and-such,' and it's panic," Payton said. "So guys are gonna get doubled. Or it's not doubled so much, specifically, as you see a better corner travel [to match up against Cooks no matter where he lines up]. Sometimes Cooks is gonna draw some of those matchups, sometimes he's not. It depends on the team.
"But I think it was more of just the way the game unfolded [versus the Rams]. Like I said, the first play of the game was actually a down-the-field-shot play intended for Brandin. We got man-to-man coverage, different than what we were hoping to get. Things happen during the game, a progression takes you off a read high, and you end up underneath. It happens. I wouldn't have known [tight end] Josh Hill was gonna have [six] catches in that game, and yet that's the way it unfolded."
Brees said he sees frustration bubble up in a teammate every week or two since he's been in New Orleans.
"Listen, there's not a guy who works harder in here than Brandin Cooks and expects more out of himself and wants to be a part of what we're doing and our success," Brees said. "That was just one of those games where there was opportunities called for him and the coverage kind of rolled his way or whatever it was and the ball ended up going elsewhere. And it was just one of those bad luck things for him personally, I guess.
"But obviously as a team we were rolling. And that just opens up opportunities for other people. And I think Brandin recognizes that, we talked about it after the game. And, listen, if we can go out and score 49 points and play like that and win every week, then I think everybody would be OK with it."