I am kind of baffled teams keep making deals with the Patriots honestly.
Cooks is 23, and if he came out in the draft knowing what we know about him now he'd be a top 10 pick... 1,000+ yards 8+ TDs each of the last 2 seasons. The Pats got him for the equivalent of like #29 (give up #32 + #103, get #118.) And he has 2 years on his rookie deal still. Like, are you kidding me? I think the Saints are so desperate for draft capital to upgrade their horrid D that they let themselves get played.
The others are classic "pay a little for young guys with upside" deals. They won't all work out, but if you do 4 of them and get 1 quality player you still came out way ahead.