It did not take long for New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees to single out his big new weapon. Veteran tight end Jared Cook set personal records last year with the Oakland Raiders, and he’s already looking like an impressive upgrade for the Saints’ arsenal. He and Brees connected repeatedly during the team’s first training camp practice on Friday, with Brees testing Cook on some back-shoulder throws early on after warm-ups before looking his way later on in team drills. Cook’s ability to move smoothly across the field and pick up extra yards after the catch was on clear display.
Cook was simply too big and too fast for Saints defenders to keep track of at times, with linebacker A.J. Klein and safety Marcus Williams (who timed the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds at the 2017 combine) trailing him on a big reception during team drills. If Cook’s athleticism continues to show up as-advertised, opposing defenses are going to end up feeling headaches.
Cook caught 68 passes last season, and could very well rank second on this year’s Saints team behind wide receiver Michael Thomas, who ended the 2018 season with 125 receptions. He’ll challenge running back Alvin Kamara (81 catches last year) for looks right away as a threat to catch passes underneath the coverage and turn upfield in a hurry.
