Drew Brees, Saints catch 'Lightning' with rookie Brandin Cooks

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. — Lightning struck from nowhere during the first morning of New Orleans Saints training camp. Quarterback Drew Brees and rookie speed receiver Brandin "Lightning" Cooks hope to produce similar electricity often on the field this season.

Late in an 11-on-11 drill Friday, Brees roped a 35-yard seam pass that looked as if it might get batted away by safety Ty Zimmerman. That was before Cooks leaped over Zimmerman and plucked Brees's spiral out of the air. Fans and his amped quarterback gave Cooks props for the eye-popping catch of the day.

For Brees and Cooks, it was validation of the week and a half they spent after the July 4th weekend working together on a high school field near Brees' offseason home in San Diego.

Because Cooks, the 20th overall pick in May's draft, participated in just one minicamp — Oregon State is on the quarters system, preventing Cooks from joining the Saints earlier — Brees asked if Cooks wanted to join him in Southern California to ramp up for training camp, challenging the rookie who clocked the fastest 40-yard dash at the February scouting combine (4.33 seconds). Cooks earned his "Lightning" nickname when he bolted past New Orleans corner Keenan Lewis during an end around during his minicamp appearance.

"He's one of those guys who wants to be a great football player," Brees told USA TODAY Sports while talking about his new rookie target. "You can see it in his eyes when he comes over to you, 'Tell me more. Tell me more.' ... He already has the wiring of a pro who just wants to come in and do things the right way.

"He's really coming along quickly."

Cooks said those summer school sessions with Brees proved invaluable.

"I feel I'm up to par on the playbook now," Cooks said. "Getting out in space, being elusive, that's my game. ... This offense can be really special with Jimmy Graham, Kenny Stills, the receivers and backs we have."

Cooks' burst as a home-run threat for both the offense and special teams gives him the chance to compensate for the departure of Darren Sproles, who was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in March.

"They play different positions, but as far as just the playmaking ability and the explosiveness in space, Brandin is similar to Darren," Brees said.

The Saints and Brees, 35, will likely need Cooks to develop into a game-changing weapon in order to return to the Super Bowl five years after winning it.

"I want more Super Bowl championships," said Brees, the MVP of Super Bowl XLIV. "At the end of the day, I'd love for people to be able to look at my career, my legacy, and say, 'He did it the right way. He was a pro. And for a long time, he was consistent.'

"I never just want to be at the same level. I want to consistently get a little bit better. I still feel like I'm at that point where each year I can get a little bit better."

Since 1985, John Elway and Brad Johnson are the only quarterbacks 34 or older to win a Super Bowl.

"I'm not in the decline like most guys in their mid-30s," said Brees. "In my mind, I'm not in my mid-30s. I'm 25 years old."

Brees thinks the 2014 Saints — armed with Cooks, free-agent safety Jairus Byrd and 12-time Pro Bowl cornerback Champ Bailey — have the potential to be the best team in New Orleans since he arrived in 2006 as a free agent.

But the Saints have seen their postseason end twice in Seattle over the past four years and also suffered a gut-wrenching loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round following the 2011 season.

"It was a tough go for us last year against Seattle, (losing) once in December and once in January," Brees said of failing to measure up to the eventual-champion Seahawks. "We know the young talent they have, and you have to figure they're going to be right back where they were.

"But we continue to make strides. And I feel we have a great mix of experienced veterans who helped create this winning environment. And here's the next generation when I look at Cooks, Kenny Stills, Jimmy Graham is still a young player, Nick Toon. That rejuvenates me that I have a chance to influence these guys in a really powerful way and continue to take this offense to a really high level.

"We know what we look like on paper. Now we have to put it all together."

***

Follow Jim Corbett on Twitter @ByJimCorbett