Jared Cook - Pro Football Rumors

Packers Sign Martellus Bennett

March 10th, 2017 at 7:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Just after learning they wouldn’t re-sign Jared Cook, the Packers have added a new tight end, as Green Bay announced that it has signed Martellus Bennett. It’s a three-year, $21MM deal, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Bennett, who turns 30 years old today, will earn quite the birthday present as he heads to the Packers in order to catch passes from Aaron Rodgers. Of course, Bennett didn’t have it too bad in New England with Tom Brady, but once the Patriots acquired fellow tight end Dwayne Allen from the Colts, Bennett appeared as good as gone. Bennett reportedly rejected an in-season extension from New England, and was looking for $9MM annually on the open market.

With Cook out of the picture, Bennett becomes the primary tight end in a Green Bay offense that ranked fourth in DVOA last season. While Cook posted a solid bounceback season in 2016, there’s little question Bennett is the superior player: Bennett ranked as PFR’s No. 20 overall free agent and the No. 1 tight end on the market, ahead of Cook, Jack Doyle, and Vernon Davis.

The Patriots acquired Bennett and a sixth-round pick from the Bears in exchange for a fourth-round pick, and the acquisition paid immediate dividends. Appearing in all 16 games, Bennett managed 55 receptions for 701 yards and seven touchdowns, and helped New England overcome the loss of fellow tight end Rob Gronkowski.

Bennett created a healthy market during the legal tampering and the first two days of free agency. The Raiders reportedly showed “heavy interest” in his services, while Giants, Jaguars, and Raiders were also eyeing Bennett. Instead, he’ll slot in alongside Richard Rodgers in the Packers’ tight end group.

Adam Schefter of ESPN.com was the first to report the deal (Twitter link), while Tom Pelissero of USA Today noted that it’s a multi-year contract (Twitter link). Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Jared Cook Won’t Return To Packers

March 10th, 2017 at 5:09pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent tight end Jared Cook won’t return to the Packers for a second season, a source told Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link). Cook’s exit from Green Bay won’t please quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who lobbied in January for the team to re-sign the pass catcher. The news isn’t surprising, though, as contract talks between the Packers and Cook broke off earlier Friday.

In what will go down as his only year with the Packers, Cook appeared in 10 games in 2016 and caught 30 of 51 targets for 377 yards and a touchdown. He was far more impressive in the Packers’ two-game playoff run, in which he combined for 13 receptions on 23 targets, 181 yards and two scores. Previously, Cook spent 2009-15 with the Titans and Rams and totaled 273 catches and 16 touchdowns.

Cook inked a $3.5MM deal in free agency last offseason, but he could land a richer pact this year as one of the two best tight ends available (Martellus Bennett is the other). Buffalo and Detroit were eyeing the 29-year-old on Thursday, though the latter then booked a visit with free agent tight end Daniel Fells.

Updates On Top Remaining Free Agents

March 10th, 2017 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Some big names came off the board on Wednesday and Thursday, but tons of notable free agents remain. Here’s a look at some of the notables who are still out there and where they stand:

Adrian Peterson, RB (Vikings): Poor, poor AD. As we summed up on Friday morning, there are no clear suitors for No. 28 at this time. Despite previous reports to the contrary, the Texans, Patriots, Raiders, Giants, and Seahawks are showing little to no interest in signing the veteran running back. The incumbent Vikings haven’t put an offer on the table since declining his bloated $18MM option. Peterson is one of the best running backs in NFL history, but teams are skeptical of what he can do as he looks to rebound from another serious right knee injury on the verge of his 32nd birthday. We know that there will be teams with interest in Peterson – perhaps even some of those aforementioned clubs – but Peterson is far from their Plan A and it doesn’t sound like any team wants to pay him like a top running back. Ultimately, Peterson seems likely to settle for a low-base, one-year deal with a good amount of performance incentives. His best payday, I think, would come from the Vikings. Peterson is a fan favorite and the organization would probably like to have him finish his career in purple. With all that said, Adrian’s dad publicly trashing the team probably isn’t helping matters.
Eddie Lacy, RB (Packers): The Vikings, Seahawks, and incumbent Packers seem to be the frontrunners for Lacy at this time. The Seahawks will meet with Lacy, but they also have meetings scheduled with Latavius Murray and Jamaal Charles. The Vikings, of course, are looking into Peterson replacements. Even though Lacy has had problems with consistency and conditioning over the years, he’s my top-ranked running back in this year’s FA crop.
Dont’a Hightower, LB (Patriots): Hightower, surely, has interest from a number of clubs. But, for whatever reason, leaks have been kept to a minimum. For all the speculation about the Dolphins and other clubs swarming the non-rush linebacker, we’ve only heard talk of “positive” dialogue between Hightower and the Pats. The Patriots are more unpredictable than ever, but I think the most likely outcome is that he re-signs. Bill Belichick was cocky enough to trade Jamie Collins and Chandler Jones in the same year – and it obviously worked out – but I don’t think he’s crazy enough to also let Hightower leave.
Dontari Poe, DT (Chiefs): The defensive tackle market is starting to take shape. Brandon Williams has re-upped with the Ravens on a lucrative five-year, $54MM deal that includes $27MM in guarantees. Chris Baker, considered a run below Williams and Poe, has a three-year, $15.75MM with $9MM guaranteed. We had Williams and Poe fairly close to each other on the Top 50 list and the early thinking was that they could fetch similar contracts. However, the latest word is that he may have to settle for a one-year, prove-it deal. The Falcons, 49ers, and Redskins have been linked to Poe this week, but the Redskins might not be in the market for him anymore after adding Stacy McGee.
Johnathan Hankins, DT (Giants): Hankins’ camp has been keeping things on the QT. There have been estimates that he could fetch around $7MM to $8MM per year (or more) on a multi-year deal. The Giants would love to keep the soon-to-be 25-year-old and we’re sure that other teams want him too, but there have been zero leaks from his negotiations. Hankins may not be as good as Williams right now, but the age factor could allow him to approach or top his contract. Teams also might feel better about committing years and dollars to Hankins over Poe. Of course, it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison since Hankins is a 4-3 DT and Williams and Poe are 3-4 nose tackles. They are different players and they have different groups of suitors due to their scheme fits.
T.J. Lang, G (Packers): Lang is a talented guard, but teams are concerned about his surgically-repaired hip. Right now, the Packers, Lions, and Seahawks are known to be in the mix for him, but he might not sign right away as teams go over his medical info. Teams might want to see him work out in full before committing to him. He’s ranked No. 14 overall on my Top 50 list and was second only to Kevin Zeitler on our list of free agent interior linemen.
Martellus Bennett, TE (Patriots): There’s heavy mutual interest between the Raiders and Bennett and the Giants and Bills have also been linked to him. However, after the Giants spent a good chunk of coin to add Rhett Ellison, it’s not clear if Bennett is still a consideration. Bennett is far and away the best available tight end out there and he should fetch a nice payday for himself. It’s just not clear where that might be. A Patriots return can be ruled out after the Dwayne Allen trade. The Lions are also looking into tight ends, but we haven’t specifically heard about them reaching out to Bennett.
Jared Cook, TE (Packers): The second-best tight end on the board is drawing interest from the Lions and Bills. Contract talks with the Packers have reportedly broken off, so he could very well wind up leaving.
Jabaal Sheard, DE (Patriots): The Dolphins were linked to Sheard, but I’m guessing they’re no longer interested after acquiring William Hayes in a brilliant trade with the Rams on Thursday. He’s on his way to meet with the Colts and we haven’t heard a peep about any possible Pats reunion. Towards the end of the season, the feeling was that Sheard would not be back in New England.

Latest On Jared Cook, Packers

March 10th, 2017 at 8:29am CST by Zachary Links

Contract talks between the Packers and free agent tight end Jared Cook have broken off, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Cook is now expected to visit other teams.

Cook was said to be a priority free agent for the Packers to keep, but it sounds like they could be on the verge of losing him. Cook has two serious suitors in the Lions and Bills and this could be a sign that he’s closer to signing with one of those teams.

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been vocal about his desire to see Cook back in Green Bay this offseason. If he gets away, Rodgers will lose a big target and the Packers will have an unhappy star on their hands.

Cook was held back somewhat by an ankle injury, but he really showed what he could do during the Packers’ playoff run. In the postseason, he had 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores in two games. He finished the regular season with 30 catches (on 51 targets), 377 yards, and a touchdown,

I ranked Cook as the second-best tight end eligible for free agency heading into this week, right behind the Patriots’ Martellus Bennett.

Packers Prioritizing Other Re-Ups Over Hyde

March 9th, 2017 at 11:28am CST by Sam Robinson

One of several notable Packers free agents, Micah Hyde may be on his way out of the NFL’s smallest market. The Packers look to have slotted the defensive back at a lower-priority spot in their free agent queue, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets.

Green Bay’s priorities seem to be Nick Perry, T.J. Lang and Jared Cook, per Silverstein. The Perry accord may already be done, with Adam Caplan of ESPN.com reporting the parties have agreed to a deal that will keep Perry in Wisconsin.

Not factoring in any Perry agreement yet, the Packers have $37MM in cap space. That would be enough for the traditionally free agency-averse team to re-sign at least two of these players. Cook, though, has other suitors who may be willing to pay more in the Lions and Bills. Lang was set on hitting free agency but was planning to give the Packers the option of matching whatever offers he received.

Hyde has played in Green Bay for four seasons, functioning as a return man, safety and slot corner for the perennial NFC contenders. He has not shown the ability the aforementioned UFAs have, though.

Bills, Lions Leading Jared Cook Race?

March 9th, 2017 at 9:58am CST by Sam Robinson

As Jared Cook prepares for his third voyage into free agency, he could again have a new home. The Bills and Lions are leading the race for the veteran tight end hours before the official start of 2017 free agency, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo tweets.

Both have shown the most interest in the resurgent pass-catcher, although both have made big investments at tight end in the recent past. The Lions drafted Eric Ebron in the first round in 2014 and have a fifth-year option decision on him coming soon, and the Bills signed Charles Clay to a notable deal in 2015. Cook, though, showed more chops as a receiver than each during the Packers’ stretch run.

The latest coming out of Green Bay did not reveal much progress between the Packers and Cook on a reunion Aaron Rodgers requested after the season. While Cook did not move the needle much with the Rams on his last major free agent signing prior to re-establishing himself in one of the most pass-catcher-friendly offenses in football, he totaled more than 600 receiving yards in both 2013 and ’14 with substandard quarterback situations.

Giants, Bills Pursuing Martellus Bennett

March 8th, 2017 at 5:34pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The free agent tight end market is heating up, as the Bills and Giants are pursuing Martellus Bennett, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), who also confirmed the previously reported interest displayed by the Jaguars. The Titans and Lions are also contacting tight ends , per La Canfora, while the Packers are aiming to retain Jared Cook.

Bennett is reportedly seeking $9MM annually after a 2016 campaign which saw him 701 receiving yards and seven touchdowns for New England. Given that Jack Doyle recently re-signed with the Colts for nearly $7MM per season, Bennett seemingly has every right to ask for $9MM, but a report last month indicated a “real possibility” that Bennett won’t be returning to the Patriots in 2017. Now that New England has acquired Dwayne Allen, Bennett is almost assuredly not returning to the Patriots.

The Giants, meanwhile, are reportedly eyeing all the top tight ends on the free agent market, a list that includes Bennett, Cook, and previously Doyle, and have also expressed interest in Anthony Fasano. The Raiders, too, have been linked to Bennett, who ranks as PFR’s No. 20 overall free agent and No. 1 available tight end.

Giants Eyeing Top Tight Ends

March 7th, 2017 at 1:21pm CST by Ben Levine

After getting limited production from the position last season, the Giants are reportedly seeking an improvement at tight end. Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets that team is eyeing some of the top available tight ends, including Martellus Bennett, Jared Cook, and Jack Doyle. Earlier today, we learned that the team was also interested in Anthony Fasano.

The Giants crop of talented receivers predictably accounted for the majority of Eli Manning‘s targets last season, but the team still didn’t get much from their tight ends. Will Tye ended up leading the way, collecting 48 receptions for 395 yards and one touchdown. Jerell Adams and Larry Donnell combined for another 31 receptions.

The trio mentioned above would provide a certain upgrade at the position. Cook’s 10 games limited his counting stats, but Bennett and Doyle both finished with at least 55 receptions and 550 yards. The three players were also listed as PFR’s top available tight ends.

Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Offense

March 6th, 2017 at 11:00pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL free agency is right around the corner! The legal tampering period starts on Tuesday and free agency officially starts on Thursday. The list of available free agents will change between now and then as players re-sign with teams or get cut loose, but we have a pretty good idea of who will be available right now. After looking at the top defensive players, we now shift our attention to the other side of the ball.

Here are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each position. The rankings aren’t determined by earning power, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with a combination of short- and long-term value taken into account. You won’t find restricted free agents or franchise tagged guys here since they are unlikely to go leave their current clubs.

Player evaluation is always subjective, so we encourage you to make your voices heard in the comments section in cases where you disagree with us.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2017:

Updated 3-7-2017, 2:55pm CT

Quarterback:

Honorable mention: Ryan Nassib, Landry Jones, Shaun Hill

Colin Kaepernick’s agents have (wisely) let everyone know that their client will stand for the National Anthem in 2017. That may seem like a minor point, but teams say they would have automatically removed him from consideration if he continued his attention-grabbing protest. He grabbed headlines for his actions on the sidelines last year, but he actually turned in an OK season. From a football standpoint, Kaepernick would make sense for a lot of teams as a QB2 with upside.

Interestingly, this list includes three quarterbacks who couldn’t cut it as the Jets’ starter and three rejects from the 49ers. They say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure and all six of those players (Ryan Fitzpatrick, Kaepernick, Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Christian Ponder, Blaine Gabbert) come with varying degrees of potential and proven effectiveness. Smith, somehow, could reportedly be retained by the Jets and installed as the starter in 2017.

Ryan Nassib is just outside of the top 15 here with EJ Manuel getting the final spot. Despite positive word about his play in practice, Nassib is unproven and the Giants’ apparent lack of interest in re-signing him says a lot. It’s also possible that he might not be 100% after ending the 2016 season on IR with an elbow injury. Manuel, for all his warts, has shown potential in small bursts.

Running back:

Honorable mention: Robert Turbin, Travaris Cadet, Benny Cunningham, Lance Dunbar, Bobby Rainey, Brandon Bolden, Denard Robinson, James Starks

As expected, the Vikings have cut Adrian Peterson loose and he is expected to garner interest from contending clubs this week. Some might peg Peterson as the most talented running back in this year’s free agent class, but it all comes down to how you weigh his age and injury history. Peterson has shocked the football world in the past with an incredible comeback, but I’m a little skeptical of his ability to do it again in his age-32 season. Eddie Lacy, who has injury question marks of his own, takes the top spot at the position.

The Patriots believe they won’t be able to match the offers that come in LeGarrette Blount‘s direction. Latavius Murray could circle back to the Raiders, but he won’t be agreeing to a deal with them before free agency opens on Thursday.

Jamaal Charles has the most impressive resume of anyone on this list, with the exception of Peterson. However, no one knows exactly what he can do after playing eight games in the last two years. He’ll turn 31 in December and that’s usually not an indicator of success for running backs.

Fullback:

Kyle Juszczyk graded out as the best fullback in the NFL last year, according to Pro Football Focus. The Ravens would be wise to keep him, but if they don’t, he’ll draw interest from teams all over the league. Juszczyk earned his first career Pro Bowl nod as he caught 37 passes for 266 yards. His exceptional 92.1 pass blocking score from PFF led all other fullbacks by a wide margin.

Mike Tolbert is ranked lower than you might expect due to his age and diminished blocking skills. He’ll turn 32 in November and it’s not guaranteed that he’ll find another job after getting released by the Panthers, though the Jets are said to have interest in him. Gang Green could also look into signing Patrick DiMarco and Marcel Reece. If you ask me, they should target DiMarco if they want to truly emphasize the running game. DiMarco finished the year with the best run blocking score in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.

Wide receiver:

Honorable mention: Brian Quick, Brandon LaFell, Anquan Boldin, Ted Ginn, Vincent Jackson

Brandon Marshall, welcome to the free agent pool. Marshall is just two years removed from a year in which he had 109 catches, 1,502 yards, and 14 touchdowns. However, his numbers dipped significantly last season as the entire Jets offense slumped. The veteran will get tons of interest this week and his suitors may include the Giants, Patriots, and Ravens.

Kenny Britt managed to put up big numbers in the midst of the Rams’ offensive quagmire last season. He now hits free agency at a great time and the WR-needy Eagles are the latest team to be connected to him. The South Jersey contingent of the Eagles fanbase will appreciate the homecoming of the Rutgers product. At the same time, they should hope he exhibits a better attitude than he did on the banks of the old Raritan.

The talent is definitely there with Markus Wheaton and the team that takes a chance on him could wind up very, very happy. Robert Woods, historically, thrived in games where Sammy Watkins was unavailable or limited. Woods doesn’t turn 25 in until April and there’s a case to be made that he should be higher on this list. Cordarrelle Patterson has turned out to be a very capable returner, but there are definitely ambitious coaches out there who think they can still mold him into a great receiver. Michael Floyd is now years removed from his best work in Arizona, so one has to wonder what he can contribute even if he has turned over a new leaf.

Victor Cruz is an exceptionally hard-worker and a team-first kind of guy. He’ll be a great addition to any locker room, but it’s anyone’s guess as to what he’ll do in 2017. We’ll say this: a return to the slot would greatly benefit him.

Anquan Boldin just missed the top 15 and I don’t necessarily feel great about it. Brian Quick also missed the cut and it was a toss-up between him and Cruz for that last spot.

Tight end:

Honorable mention: Larry Donnell

Martellus Bennett is eager to cash in this month. There’s a “real possibility” he winds up elsewhere and he’ll get a monster deal if that happens. The Raiders and Jaguars are expected to be among the teams in pursuit. Filling in for Rob Gronkowski, Bennett caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns in 2016. You can never tell what the Patriots are thinking, but it sure feels like he’ll be leaving New England.

In his first season with the Packers, Jared Cook appeared in ten regular season games and caught 30 of 51 targets for 377 yards and a touchdown. In the Packers’ two-game playoff run, he really turned it on with a total of 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores. Cook will be a priority for the Packers to re-sign, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll get a deal done between now and March 9.

Anthony Fasano finds himself ranked higher than some bigger names due to his blocking ability. PFF gave Fasano an 88.1 score for run blocking, which was the best of any tight end last year. His 72.9 pass blocking score was fourth-best among TEs. The Titans will make a real effort to keep him.

Offensive tackle:

Andrew Whitworth spent some time at guard last season but his best (and most profitable) position is on the outside. He’s 35, so he won’t lead all FA tackles in total money this year despite being our top-ranked free at the position.

That mantle, by all indications, will belong to Ricky Wagner who could reportedly fetch around $10MM/year. The former fifth-round pick put it all together this past season in Baltimore and he won’t turn 28 until October.

Russell Okung was thrust into the free agent market in February when the Broncos declined his option. This time around, it will be interesting to see whether he hires an agent. His previous deal was effectively a one-year pact with a club option for a four-year, $48MM deal with $20.5MM in guaranteed cash. After a so-so year, the Broncos wisely turned it down.

Austin Pasztor is listed as a tackle here, though it’s quite possible he reverts to the interior line in 2017. Mike Adams, a former second-round pick, makes the cut for his natural talent, even though he hasn’t shown much at the professional level. Will Beatty also found his way to the Top 15, but his market will be capped after two injury-ridden years.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Honorable mention: D.J. Fluker, A.Q. Shipley (C), Brian Schwenke (C)

Kevin Zeitler was the only offensive lineman to crack our Top 50 Free Agents list last week. Zeitler, 27 in March, was PFF’s No. 7 ranked guard in the NFL this year. After three consecutive strong seasons, he is going to get big bucks.

Ronald Leary, who once pushed for the Cowboys to trade him, recognizes that a return probably isn’t in the cards. The Cowboys will go with La’el Collins in 2017 and beyond, but don’t cry for Leary. After making 12 starts in Collins’ place and ranking No. 25 among Pro Football Focus’ 76 qualified guards, Leary will find an eager market this week.

J.C. Tretter graded out as a top 10 center last year, according to PFF, and he just turned 26. Stefen Wisniewski offers experience at both guard and center and there should be at least a few teams looking at him as a potential starter.

Nick Mangold‘s injury woes are holding him back here. Apparently, some teams are asking him to play guard.

“Not Much Progress” Between Packers, Jared Cook

March 5th, 2017 at 9:26am CST by Rory Parks

We heard at the end of January that the Packers would make re-signing tight end Jared Cook a priority, and just yesterday we learned that Green Bay contract negotiator Russ Ball met with Cook’s agent (along with the agents for some of the club’s other top UFAs). But as Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets, although the two sides are talking, there has not been much progress towards a new deal.

Indeed, Cole makes it sound as if the Packers are low-balling Cook, as he writes that Green Bay is being “frugal” at the moment. Cook signed a modest one-year, $2.75MM contract with the Packers last offseason, which was quite a step back from the five-year, $35.1MM deal he signed with the Rams back in 2013. But while his first year in Green Bay was partially derailed by an ankle injury, he really turned it on during the Packers’ playoff run, piling up 13 receptions for 181 yards and two scores in two games. He finished the regular season with 30 catches (on 51 targets), 377 yards, and a touchdown.

His postseason explosion, though, figures to get him a multi-year pact, as he demonstrated the ability that led to his early-career success with the Titans and that convinced the Rams to hand him a lucrative free agent contract. PFR ranks Cook as the second-best tight end eligible for free agency, right behind the Patriots’ Martellus Bennett.

Spotrac.com believes Cook is worth a four-year deal, $13.77MM deal. But he may have more value than that for the Packers, who know just how deadly Aaron Rodgers can be with a talented tight end at his disposal.