Jared Cook (TE-Ten) (1 Viewer)

[CompetitiveEdgeFootball]

There's been a buzz building about this player in Ten since late last season. I want to know if anyone has some insight into how he fits into the Titans plans. I know the new offensive coordinator considers him one of his favorite "new toys," but I don't expect a ton from the QB position as it stands now in Ten. That being said, he has the physical gifts of a Vernon Davis or a Finley. Do they plan to use him as one of the teams main offensive weapons? Does he fit that way into the offense they will be running?

I feel like I almost want to take a flier on him rather than draft a Winslow or Cooley, because I feel like his athleticism gives him so much more upside. Then again, I also see Jimmy Graham as a similar player in a better situation.

Any thoughts or opinions from titans homers or people who've closely followed Cooks career thus far would be appreciated.

 

[mjr]

When the Titans ditch Young and bring a guy like Locker into the fold, it tells me that they really like the idea of sticking to a QB who can run that ball. That's an issue to me when it comes to evaluating Cook. If a primary target is covered, an immobile QB's first reaction is to find a secondary target to get the ball to. For a much more mobile QB that's not so much the case. Neither Cook nor Scaife did much while Young was under center, yet both started putting up better stats when Collins was in the game.

So to me, the real question isn't so much what Cook is capable of but rather what's going to happen at the QB position in Tennessee this year and beyond.

I find it highly unlikely Locker will start week 1. So with either Collins or some other Vet in there, Cook might be worth the flier if it's a cheap move. He could even emerge to become an every week starter if a guy like Hasselbeck came in there for a stint. But if the Titans come out 0-4 and they decide to throw Locker into the fire, I say all bets are off with TE's in Tennessee.

 

[shader]

The Titans are TALKING smarter with their offense. We'll see how it plays out.

They claim that they are going to reduce Chris Johnson's workload, get him more in space (finally), use Cook and open up the passing game.

Of course all that requires a QB, so the jury is out.

 

[Biabreakable]

While I like Cook as a prospect a lot I think you need to take a step back from comparing him to Vernon Davis. There are not many TE who have that kind of speed.

I also would not consider Cook to be in the same tier as Winslow. I totally expect you should be able to draft Cook later in the draft but there is no reason to think he will match numbers put up by Winslow or Gonzalez this season.

For Dynasty Cook is a keeper and worth trading for if the price is low. But beyond that I wouldn't count on him as a starter. Not until he gives us reason to.

Cook is a player I was higher on as a rookie than I am today.

 

[thriftyrocker]

Pretty nice thread in the archives: http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=523754

 

[Stinkin Ref]

my comments when I drafted him as my starter over in the mock draft forum SSL2 draft....Hernandez, Celek, Olsen, Heap, Shiancoe, etc were still on the board...

7.09 Jared Cook TE17 TEN

Was one of two teams without a TE and this is about the time some owners start snagging a TE2, some already have. The plan was to wait TE so happy that there were still a few to choose from. There may have been some safer picks and there are definitely some guys rated higher right now, but this was kind of another swing for the fences and go for the win pick. Opportunity 101. Dude is a specimen (6'5" 245 40 plus vert and 4.5 speed). Scaife is gone and the job is Cook's. Sounds like the new OC plans to use him. He can create matchup problems and could be a nice big athletic target for the rookie QB. Has ability to make plays after the catch. Top 10 production is not out of the question. Did the majority of his damage down the stretch last year so his arrow is pointing up. He's working out already and ready to become an impact player. I'll take a chance he breaks out this year and be ahead of the curve before he becomes a top 10 TE pick next year. But I think it is a solid pick and predicting breakout year.

just my two cents, but I see him jumping into the top 10 this year...I like Graham much better but the cat is out of the bag on him already, I think you may be able to get Cook later in your drafts and maybe while not getting the same production it might be closer than you think....if your roster is strong enough elsewhere and you can afford to wait and swing for the fences, you might be rewarded by getting a player that puts your team over the top....very athletic player

 

[CharrdWood]

When the Titans ditch Young and bring a guy like Locker into the fold, it tells me that they really like the idea of sticking to a QB who can run that ball. That's an issue to me when it comes to evaluating Cook. If a primary target is covered, an immobile QB's first reaction is to find a secondary target to get the ball to. For a much more mobile QB that's not so much the case. Neither Cook nor Scaife did much while Young was under center, yet both started putting up better stats when Collins was in the game. So to me, the real question isn't so much what Cook is capable of but rather what's going to happen at the QB position in Tennessee this year and beyond. I find it highly unlikely Locker will start week 1. So with either Collins or some other Vet in there, Cook might be worth the flier if it's a cheap move. He could even emerge to become an every week starter if a guy like Hasselbeck came in there for a stint. But if the Titans come out 0-4 and they decide to throw Locker into the fire, I say all bets are off with TE's in Tennessee.

Munchak has talked about having a mobile QB that can keep plays alive, not a hot read then tuck and run. I think they're looking for Locker to be much more like Roethlisberger than VY/early Vick. VY's running ability is vastly overrated anyway.Back to the topic. Cook could very well have a good season stats wise (though I'm no FF guy). He's the #1 TE with Scaife's presumed release, and will likely be an important factor in the offense regardless of who is the QB, but especially if it's Locker from Day One. There's also a lot of speculation on the part of Titans fans that they will use him in more creative ways, e.g. lined up in the slot to create matchup problems.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

While I like Cook as a prospect a lot I think you need to take a step back from comparing him to Vernon Davis. There are not many TE who have that kind of speed.

True, but Cook is one of them. From the combines:V Davis - 4.38J Cook - 4.42

 

[sihaokills]

I think Cook is a sell high guy right now. I still feel like Britt will stun the new coach if he's not in trouble

 

[FUBAR]

When the Titans ditch Young and bring a guy like Locker into the fold, it tells me that they really like the idea of sticking to a QB who can run that ball. That's an issue to me when it comes to evaluating Cook. If a primary target is covered, an immobile QB's first reaction is to find a secondary target to get the ball to. For a much more mobile QB that's not so much the case. Neither Cook nor Scaife did much while Young was under center, yet both started putting up better stats when Collins was in the game.

So to me, the real question isn't so much what Cook is capable of but rather what's going to happen at the QB position in Tennessee this year and beyond.

I find it highly unlikely Locker will start week 1. So with either Collins or some other Vet in there, Cook might be worth the flier if it's a cheap move. He could even emerge to become an every week starter if a guy like Hasselbeck came in there for a stint. But if the Titans come out 0-4 and they decide to throw Locker into the fire, I say all bets are off with TE's in Tennessee.

Munchak has talked about having a mobile QB that can keep plays alive, not a hot read then tuck and run. I think they're looking for Locker to be much more like Roethlisberger than VY/early Vick. VY's running ability is vastly overrated anyway.Back to the topic. Cook could very well have a good season stats wise (though I'm no FF guy). He's the #1 TE with Scaife's presumed release, and will likely be an important factor in the offense regardless of who is the QB, but especially if it's Locker from Day One. There's also a lot of speculation on the part of Titans fans that they will use him in more creative ways, e.g. lined up in the slot to create matchup problems.

That's how I'm seeing this. Plus, from what I can tell, Locker is a more intelligent QB than VY, more likely to use the short pass instead of running, and his long range accuracy is questionable but he should be able to get the ball to Cook if he's running a short-intermediate route.

 

[Touchdown There]

I think Cook is a sell high guy right now. I still feel like Britt will stun the new coach if he's not in trouble

I just checked my dynasty league and I dropped him in week 10 last year. I picked him back up in week 14, so no one else in a 12-team PPR league took a flyer on him for 3 weeks during open waivers. I am not sure he is a "sell high", but I still am going to hold him for 8-10 weeks of the 2011 season. Much like Jacoby Ford, I think we are going to find out if Jared Cook is the real deal this year.

 

[No Way Jose]

I think Cook is a sell high guy right now. I still feel like Britt will stun the new coach if he's not in trouble

Sell high? He hasn't done anything. At least wait till he has a break out game.I think this will be the first time the Titans really commit to Cook and he will be healthy. I imagine the Titans sign someone like Hasslebeck for a year and they won't have a completely terrible Offense next year. I like Cook and I think if he cracks the top 10 in TE's for 2012, it would be a very successful year. However, if you draft him expecting it, you could be very disappointed.

 

[Biabreakable]

While I like Cook as a prospect a lot I think you need to take a step back from comparing him to Vernon Davis. There are not many TE who have that kind of speed.

True, but Cook is one of them. From the combines:V Davis - 4.38J Cook - 4.42

When I say speed I mean more than 40 time. One might think the 2 players are very close if you were just looking at that.

 

[Shutout]

I don't know much of him but it seems like I can always remember there being a buzz about Cook at this time of year. He seems to me to be that guy that people are always saying "this is his year" and I think people must be looking at combine numbers or expecting an opportunity to emerge or something.

I don't know if he is this year's Vernon Davis breakout that did finally come around or if he is just another Chad Jackson that looks good on paper and never comes around. I DO think that a good TE is a young QB's best friend but as others have said above, the QB situation is unknown in Tenn. so I think overall, I pass unless he just delivers himself to my doorstep in a basket.

 

[Warhogs]

I am stoll optimistic as a Cook holder in several dynasty leagues. Outside of some injuries I am not sure why we have not seen much of him but I have seen him in preseason some over the past couple of seasons and when he is in they have talked up how much of a matchup problem he can be. He has also put up some decent numbers in preseason and over the last few weeks of 2010 so I think there is good reason to be optimistic.

 

[Touchdown There]

I DO think that a good TE is a young QB's best friend but as others have said above, the QB situation is unknown in Tenn. so I think overall, I pass unless he just delivers himself to my doorstep in a basket.

If you pass on Cook now, it will be too late later. He is a hold now, that may or may not pull a Vernon Davis. The Titans gave Cook some good targets at the end of last year. His stats improved, but he also had a few bad deep drops. As I mentioned in my post above, we are likely to find out everything we need to know about Jacoby Ford and Jared Cook this year. High upside late round holds in redraft.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

While I like Cook as a prospect a lot I think you need to take a step back from comparing him to Vernon Davis. There are not many TE who have that kind of speed.

True, but Cook is one of them. From the combines:V Davis - 4.38J Cook - 4.42

When I say speed I mean more than 40 time. One might think the 2 players are very close if you were just looking at that.

Sorry. I find the idea that the human eye can distinguish a ~tenth of a second during non-synchronous football plays by different players to be pretty much hooey.

 

[todisco1]

I don't know much of him but it seems like I can always remember there being a buzz about Cook at this time of year. He seems to me to be that guy that people are always saying "this is his year" and I think people must be looking at combine numbers or expecting an opportunity to emerge or something. I don't know if he is this year's Vernon Davis breakout that did finally come around or if he is just another Chad Jackson that looks good on paper and never comes around. I DO think that a good TE is a young QB's best friend but as others have said above, the QB situation is unknown in Tenn. so I think overall, I pass unless he just delivers himself to my doorstep in a basket.

This is true, but Cook did very well at the end of last year. There's something to build on, it's not like he has never done anything. When they got him involved, he looked like a big part of their offense.

 

[Biabreakable]

While I like Cook as a prospect a lot I think you need to take a step back from comparing him to Vernon Davis. There are not many TE who have that kind of speed.

True, but Cook is one of them. From the combines:V Davis - 4.38J Cook - 4.42

When I say speed I mean more than 40 time. One might think the 2 players are very close if you were just looking at that.

Sorry. I find the idea that the human eye can distinguish a ~tenth of a second during non-synchronous football plays by different players to be pretty much hooey.

Well no need to be sorry as I agree with you. I never made the argument that speed = 40 time. Because I am not making that observation based on 40 time. That is a point you brought up not me. I said speed. By that I mean the playing speed. How a player separates from defenders in pads. There are more factors that go into this than I could list. Agility, acceleration, instincts, body positioning and so on. I do not feel I should have to qualify this for you as I believe you know better. For simplicity sake I call all of that speed.Vernon Davis despite his attitude problems early on in his career showed right away that he was more gifted physically than other players in the NFL scoring in his 1st regular season game. I watched this game and although Davis was very raw defenders could not cover him. He then was injured and didn't do much more his rookie year. But when I watched him I could see he had the talent. That is not something I have seen from Cook yet and why I do not consider Cook to be as fast as Vernon Davis.That being said most TE are not successful right away. Including Vernon Davis. So there is still time for Cook to grow. I did not see either of these games but Cook did have 2 good ones at the end of 2010 - 5catch 96yards 19.2ypc 1TD then 7catch 58yard so maybe he will break out in his 3rd season. With a rookie QB and new coaching staff I consider that less likely than I would have before.ETA- IF your saying that Cook = Davis because of 40 time I strongly disagree. Or if your saying that a casual observer cannot tell the difference in players speed during games I also strongly disagree. Plenty of corners may have timed as good as Randy Moss at the combine but they still couldn't keep up with him even with a 10-15 yard head start.