Jared Cook rumors: Oakland Raiders sign tight end
Jared Cook quickly became the top free agent tight end available, and the Oakland Raiders stopped his tour of visits.
After talks broke off with the Green Bay Packers, and they then signed Martellus Bennett, free agent tight end Jared Cook visited the Seattle Seahawks and the Minnesota Vikings this week. The Oakland Raiders were the third team on his agenda and automatically looked like the best fit among that trio of teams.
With a budding star at quarterback, a strong offensive line, a deep stable of running backs and a set of capable wide receivers, tight end was a notable void in the Raiders’ offense last season. Clive Walford, Mychal Rivera and Lee Smith combined for 57 receptions, 580 yards and four touchdowns. Those would be fairly mediocre numbers for one guy to put up, let alone three combined that failed to make an impact.
With adding a more capable tight end clearly in mind, the Raiders have reached a deal with Cook, according to NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.
The #Raiders and TE Jared Cook agreed to terms on a 2-year deal worth up to $12.2M, source said. The first year is fully guaranteed.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 16, 2017
Cook missed six regular season games for the Packers in 2016, which kept his numbers down (30 catches for 377 yards and one touchdown). But he hit his stride down the stretch, and most notably in the playoffs with 18 receptions (on 32 targets) for 230 yards and two touchdowns over three games. His sideline-hugging catch late in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round will now be part of postseason highlight reels.
Cook has been a perpetual underachiever during his eight-year career, with just two 50-plus catch campaigns and never more than five touchdown catches in a season. That was easy to blame on poor quarterbacks over his time with the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams, and then injuries were an issue in the middle of his lone season with a good quarterback in Green Bay.
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When everything came together late last season, Cook showed his full potential. He’ll find a similar circumstance in Oakland, and the Raiders suddenly have a very dangerous-looking offense on paper.