Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

It took a little time for Saints tight end Jared Cook to officially join the team. Since then, the team apparently has been spending plenty of time coming up with ways to use him.

“New tight end comes in for us this year,” coach Sean Payton recently told Chris Simms. “Jared Cook from Oakland. We’re gonna expand the package that includes him.”

In his first season working with Raiders coach Jon Gruden, Cook had a career high in catches (68), yards (896), and touchdowns (six). He once again wanted more than his current team would pay to keep him, and in the same way he jumped from the Packers to the Raiders, Cook jumped from the Raiders to the Saints.

Cook’s two-year, $15 million contract pays out $8 million this year and puts him at the bottom of the top 10 tight ends by salary. With Payton’s ingenuity, Cook could perform like a guy at the top of the top 10 tight ends.

PFT

Re: Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

The seam route is back ! Hadn't seen it since the Jimmy G days.

Watch JCook do damage. He's an explosive TE that will take a ton of heat off MT and AK. Maybe, just maybe the other WR's will step up in 2019.

https://gfycat.com/calmgrippingcommongonolek

Re: Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

Brees will make him a household name, in fantasy stock will rise thru the roof. Stay healthy my friend please just stay uprite[emoji56]

Re: Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

Agree completely. Brees has "made" several receivers. If a receiver or back has reasonable talent and the brains to get on the same page with Brees, he'll make them look like a super star. Jimmy G was a good example. Can't Guard Mike is probably another. He good, yes, but Brees has made he look great.

Re: Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

Totally agree, CGM is great but would he be without a top 5 QB

Re: Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

Probably so.

"Thee" Ohio State don't beat Bama in that title game without Mike's brilliant play and toe tapping in the end zone. Anyone remember Mike was making circus catches as a rookie while Luke McCown was throwing him the ball ?

But to answer your question, would he be great without a top 5 QB? I think so because he's that good.

Re: Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

He's ok. His success last year was due to having no WR's. Rest of his career is meh.

Before last year, he had 3 TD's in three years. That's 42 games and one year with Rogers. Not sure about his blocking skills.

Re: Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

I wouldn't get too wrapped up in stats. JC played in St. Louis before McVay era, a bad Tennessee team, played in only 10 games while up in G.B. etc ... X factor now ->> Sean Payton. Jared has never played in an ELITE offensive system until now & he's way better than Arnold, Josh & Watson.

Brian Baldinger did a breakdown right after we signed Cook & he basically illustrated how effective he is on selling routes. Still an athletic 4.5 guy but has variations of speed to turn the defenders & smoke em like rotisserie chicken. Let's see a strong safety take his eyes off of Jared for a split second ... he'll make you pay.

Tough player who can run in's/outs, digs and curls effectively (route tree). Let's face it, Brees is 40 years of age and you need more guys who can make our QB's job a little easier.

Outside of Malcolm Brown, I think Cook is a quality FA signing for 2019 & he didn't cost an arm and a leg either. And yes ... he can block ;).

Re: Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

He has had a long career with one marginally impressive season. It's more than 3 years of mediocracy.

I think he has some success. Nothing like last year but decent and a few TD's.

Re: Saints to expand package of tight end plays for Jared Cook
 

Diminished TE play has hurt this team hard for the past two years.

The 2017 team was not equipped to engage teams in shoot outs. All 6 of their losses (counting the playoffs) were games that became shoot outs and they just couldn't go back and forth with teams.

Last year's team was just fine until Dallas showed that if you gameplan around stopping Kamara and Michael Thomas, they have no other weapons to scare you with.

Good TE play would've helped both years. I'm looking forward to this coming season for sure.