Cooks signed a contract with the Panthers on Tuesday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Cooks was with the Saints on a reserve/future contract before being waived by the team in late April following the 2026 NFL Draft. He'll stay within the division in Carolina, and although he's considered a longshot to make the 53-man roster, a strong training camp could be enough for Cooks to stick around on the practice squad. He last saw NFL regular-season action in 2024 with the Jaguars, when he played two games and logged 14 snaps (10 offense, four special teams) without showing up on the box score otherwise.