Tom Brady is losing one of his top receivers Cheap JK Scott Jersey , and Jared Goff is getting a speedy new target.

The New England Patriots traded receiver Brandin Cooks to the Rams on Tuesday for Los Angeles' first-round draft pick, the 23rd overall.

New England also sent a fourth-round choice to the Rams, and the Patriots got a sixth-rounder from Los Angeles.

The 24-year-old Cooks had 65 catches for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns in his only season with the Patriots. His receiving stats were second on the defending AFC champions' roster only to tight end Rob Gronkowski, who barely topped Cooks in all three categories.

Cooks' clear chemistry with Brady makes the trade fairly surprising for New England, particularly after the recent departure of another favorite Brady target, Danny Amendola, who signed with the Dolphins.

But the defending NFC West champion Rams made an aggressive offer to secure a potential No. 1 receiver and proven deep threat just three weeks after the departure of Sammy Watkins, who got a three-year, $48 million deal from the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency.

After weeks of rumors about the Rams' interest in acquiring star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants, they managed to find another elite talent at the position. Cooks' speed and versatility should fit in well in coach Sean McVay's schemes as he lines up alongside Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp in the NFL's highest-scoring offense last season.

The trade also appears to be a strategic move on the part of the Patriots: Cooks is entering the fifth year of his rookie contract, and he can become a free agent after the 2018 season.

With three 1,000-yard seasons in a four-year pro career that began with New Orleans, Cooks would likely be a coveted player after another big year, and the Patriots may not have been willing to pay a high price to keep him and may be looking to get maximum value now.

Watkins was in the same contractual situation when the Rams acquired him from Buffalo during training camp last year Jaguars Authentic Jerseys , and he parlayed a solid season in Los Angeles into an enormous contract elsewhere. Yet the Rams don't appear to regret the trade, even though Watkins was their fourth-leading receiver with 39 catches, because he excelled in the red zone with eight TD grabs and provided a deep threat that had to be respected by opponents.

Cooks will be asked to do all that and more with the Rams, who haven't let up on their intense offseason pursuit of a championship roster.

The Rams acquired elite cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib last month, and they signed defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh last week to form a ferocious duo with AP Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald. Los Angeles has lost leading tackler Alec Ogletree and top cornerback Trumaine Johnson during its machinations, yet kept its entire offensive line intact for Goff and running back Todd Gurley.

With the draft picks acquired in Tuesday's deal, New England now holds four picks in the first two rounds later this month and four more picks in Rounds 3-7. That gives coach Bill Belichick the ability to go shopping for a young prospect or perhaps to make a deal for a veteran.

Still, there's also the possibility that the Patriots may do nothing at all at receiver heading into training camp.

Julian Edelman is expected to return after suffering a preseason knee injury, and Malcolm Mitchell is also slated to return after spending time on injured reserve with a knee issue.

Cooks was New Orleans' first-round selection out of Oregon State in 2014, and he played three solid seasons for the Saints while emerging as a top young receiver.

Yet when the competitive receiver apparently disagreed with the Saints about the height of his abilities and his long-term future, he was traded to New England 13 months ago for a first-rounder and other picks.

Although Cooks is one year away from free agency, the Rams probably feel they've got a better chance to do a long-term deal with Cooks. Cooks and Goff are represented by the same agent, and Cooks is a Stockton, California, native whose family will be able to see him play regularly.
AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham in Los Angeles contributed to this story.
鈥?Cam Newton proved the Carolina Panthers can win in multiple ways.After dominating opposing teams on the ground with three straight 200-yard rushing games at home Youth John Franklin-Myers Jersey , the Panthers turned to their 28th-ranked passing game on Sunday and took a big step toward reaching the postseason.Newton threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns, and the Panthers spoiled Aaron Rodgers’ return from a broken collarbone with a 31-24 win over the Green Bay Packers.Damiere Byrd had two touchdown catches, and Christian McCaffrey had 136 yards from scrimmage, including a 7-yard touchdown reception and the Panthers won their fourth straight at home. Greg Olsen had his most productive game since returning from a broken foot, catching nine passes for 116 yards and a TD as the Panthers (10-4) kept pace with the first-place New Orleans Saints in the NFC South.“It’s something we pride ourselves on being a complete offense, being able to run the ball when we can and pass when we can,” McCaffrey said. “Guys showed up and made plays today.”That included Carolina’s defense, which forced four turnovers, including a strip by cornerback James Bradberry on Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison with 1:28 to seal the win and prevent the Packers from possibly playing in their third straight overtime game.“I need to do a better job of squeezing and securing it and there wouldn’t be an argument,” Allison said.Rodgers, making his first appearance since Oct. 15, threw for 290 yards with three touchdowns but was intercepted three times as the Packers’ playoff hopes took a potentially critical blow.At 7-7, the Packers are on the cusp of not making the playoffs for the first time since 2008.“I’m disappointed in my performance today,” Rodgers said. “Obviously, I didn’t play well.”Bradberry also had an interception of Rodgers DJ Chark Color Rush Jersey , and said he plans to put the football in a trophy case.“Going against him and getting able to get as many turnovers and we did puts a stamp on this defense,” Bradberry said of the Panthers, who have forced seven turnovers and had nine sacks in the past two weeks.The Panthers trailed 14-10 at halftime, but Newton threw TD passes to Olsen and Byrd in the third quarter to give them a 24-14 lead.Byrd’s first touchdown, a 9-yard grab in the back of the end zone , came with some controversy. The play was initially ruled an incompletion, but coach Ron Rivera challenged the play and officials overturned the call ruling that Byrd’s buttocks landed inbounds.“Initially I wasn’t sure if they were going to count just one cheek or both cheeks,” Byrd said with a laugh. “I think I got lucky on that one.”“I guess it pays to have little cheeks,” Newton said of the 5-foot-8, 180-pound Byrd.Packers coach Mike McCarthy said he didn’t have a problem with the decision, calling it a good catch.Olsen was seen screaming at the Carolina sideline before the review, urging Rivera not to challenge the play because he was certain Byrd was out of bounds.“I was like, ‘Greg, you are being obnoxious right now,'” Newton said with a laugh. “He’s saying Youth Chicago Bears Jerseys , ‘No, he did not catch it! Coach, don’t waste a timeout!’ I was like, ‘Greg, whose team are you on?'”Olsen said sheepishly: “I was 150,000 percent wrong.”ADAMS CONCUSSION: It didn’t help that Rodgers lost his most productive receiver in the third quarter with a concussion.Davante Adams took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis on an interception return by Colin Jones. As Adams was running to make the tackle on Jones, Davis appeared to launch himself at Adams with a peel-back block, immediately sending the wide receiver to the ground and out of the game.Davis was flagged for a 15-yard penalty.Aaron Rodgers called it “unnecessary hit” and called Davis a “repeat offender.”Davis could face a fine or suspension from the league.“I’m sure the league will deal with him accordingly to that,” Rodgers said.Davis immediately realized what he had done, cupping his head in hands as he sat on the Panthers bench. Adams had five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown against the Panthers. Davis was not available for comment after the game.COMING IN BUNCHES: After going 12 games without an interception, Panthers starting cornerbacks Bradberry and Daryl Worley both have interceptions in back-to-back games. Worley got Rodgers in the first half on a deep route along the left sideline, while Bradberry got one on an underthrown deep ball.INJURIES:Packers: Linebacker Nick Perry left the game with an ankle injury in the third quarter and did not return.Panthers: Wide receiver Russell Shepard left the game in the second half with a shoulder injury and did not return.UP NEXTPackers: Host the Vikings on Saturday night.Panthers: Host the Buccaneers on Sunday..