Having a quarterback that instills confidence in free agents is a powerful recruiting tool. The Raiders have that in Derek Carr. The latest addition to Carr’s arsenal is tight end Jared Cook, who, coming over from Green Bay knows the value playing with a great quarterback and his role in being part of a great offense.
Just as Carr was a part of newly signed wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson’s visit to Oakland, he was part of Cook’s visit.
“Yeah, me and him (Carr) sat in on a meeting,” said Cook over conference call. “We watched some film together today. Love the kid, man. He’s cool. He’s a real down to earth guy. I enjoy talking with him about the offensive system and different plays that they run and how they see me fitting in this offense.”
So, how does Cook see himself fitting into the offense?
“Just another weapon for Derek to use. Just to be able to stretch the field, be able to beat one-on-one matchups, be able to get down into the secondary at a fast pace, be able to create separation off of different routes. When I’m coming out of my breaks, just a different radius that it gives him. A different element to put the ball in places and just keep chains moving.”
The Raiders are hoping Cook can help take the offense to a new level. They were already among the best offenses in the league, but a second receiving target at tight end was needed to go along with former third round pick Clive Walford.
Cook put his talents on display in the playoffs for the Packers, catching 18 passes for 229 yards and 2 touchdowns in three starts. He made several key clutch grabs for Aaron Rodgers, including a catch along the sidelines against the Cowboys that sent the Packers to the NFC Championship game.
Last season was the Raiders’ first trip to the playoffs in 14 years. Finishing 12-4 with a trip to the playoffs and a lot of young stars also makes the Raiders an attractive destination.
“They’re going on an upward trend and they’re doing big things and they’re making it to the postseason, that’s what you want as a player,” Cook continued. “That’s what you want to look for as a player, a team that’s building success. They implement success in their players. They promote it and preach it, and that’s exactly what you want to be around. That’s the type of organization you want to be a part of.”
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