New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) signals a first down late in the game against the New York Giants during at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (Staff photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune | [NOLA.com](http://NOLA.com)) ORG XMIT: BAT2510051539030088
STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD
For some, it’s an introduction to this reality.
“I was pretty shocked,” rookie quarterback Tyler Shough said. “Obviously I’d gotten pretty close to (Shaheed) just in the little period of time we’d been working together. He’s obviously such a great dude, and Trevor as well, those are some of the first two guys I’d gotten to meet coming here.
“I’m definitely going to miss them, but obviously it’s a good opportunity for them and the Saints as well.”
Others are plenty used to how it works.
Brandin Cooks is in his 12th NFL season. He has been traded four times in his NFL career, though never at the trade deadline.
“It’s all part of the business, right?” Cooks said.
And, in this business, Cooks said he sees the trades — especially the one involving Shaheed, which netted the Saints a pair of Day 3 picks in next year’s draft — as a “win-win” for both parties.
“Shaheed has a heck of an opportunity in front of him, obviously, being with the (offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak,) that was with him before. So there's familiarity. He had a lot of success there. He was having success this year. Then from a team standpoint, I think (General Manager Mickey Loomis) is always looking at it from a standpoint of how do I do what is best for the organization and also right by players, for the most part.”
Cooks explained that Loomis goes out of his way to find the right opportunities in trades for players who have contributed in a positive way for the Saints.
“He didn't just look to ship him anywhere,” Cooks said. “He saw an opportunity like, 'Man, it's a great opportunity to be able to get some draft picks and also do something that's going to be able to enhance the organization from a standpoint on a draft the following year.'”