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Long time NFL head coach Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints are expected to target another tight end during the offseason.
Payton's team did bring in Dayton University graduate Adam Trautman via the NFL Draft last year. The rookie showed much more promise in the blocking game than he did downfield, however, so with staple TE Jared Cook's time in the Bayou seemingly at an end, it's imperative that the Saints add a big receiving threat to the tight end locker room in time for the team's next assault on the NFC South and beyond.
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NFL Free Agency: could the Saints keep Jared Cook?
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It's possible that Saints leader Sean Payton could wait and see what happens in free agency before deciding to offer Jared Cook a new deal. The big tight end is one of the most physically dominant in the league, displaying great strength and impressive speed for a big man. Cook would be a major improvement for a host of NFL teams if he does enter the free agency pile. Payton will know that and plan accordingly.
Given that Cook is now 33-years-old, and factoring in the number of times the big TE dropped important catches for the Saints last year (to go alongside those 2 turnovers Cook was responsible for in the Conference championship against the Bucs), I personally think the University of South Carolina product is set for an exit from New Orleans.
With that in mind, lets take a look at the three best potential free agents available to replace the (likely) departing Jared Cook and fill the New Orleans Saints' needs at tight end:
In descending order:
3. Robert Tonyan (Green Bay Packers)
Entering the realm of fantasy slightly with this first pick, Robert Tonyan is fresh off the back of a breakout campaign with the Green Bay Packers and it's unlikely the Conference finalists will want to see him go; not least because he linked up with Aaron Rodgers for 11 TD receptions last season!
That being said, stranger things have happened in the NFL, and Aaron Rodgers doesn't always get what he wants in Wisconsin, as we learned last year when the Packers blew their first-round draft pick on QB Jordan Love when the entire NFL universe expected them to pluck for a receiver.
If the Packers fail to tie Tonyan down to a new deal, his explosive running, nose for the endzone, and relatively young age could all prove to be a good fit down in the Bayou with the New Orleans Saints; not least because Tonyan is reported to be seeking just half of Jared Cook's current $7.5 million per year contract at New Orleans.
2. Jonnu Smith (Tennessee Titans)
Titans TE Jonnu Smith could prove to be an interesting fit in the black and gold of New Orleans. The FIU graduate has spent 4 seasons in Tennessee. His output has gone up slightly in each of those years and he chipped into the Titans' cause with 8 TDs last season. Smith really does have an eye for the endzone.
Because the Titans have Derrick Henry in the backfield, it's very much a run-first offense. Smith doesn't see as much of the ball as he possibly should, so it's hard to judge his yards-per-game output (11.4 yards) over his first four years in the NFL. But if you consider his 10.9-yards-per-catch, Smith is about as productive as Broncos TE Noah Fant and Lions TE T.J. Hockenson, who are, in my opinion, tier-one receivers in the tight end position at present.
Jonnu Smith is also a versatile offensive piece, occasionally used as an alternative to Derrick Henry in the run-game by Titans coach Mike Vrabel. Saints boss Sean Payton is a master at option-routes and trick plays, so he may find Smith's adaptability of particular interest. A Saints backfield line-up featuring Alvin Kamara, Latavius Murray and Jonnu Smith would be a real pain to guard upfront, that's for sure.
1. Hunter Henry (Los Angeles Chargers)
When he first got started in the NFL, Los Angeles Chargers' Hunter Henry appeared to have it all. In his first two seasons in the league, he received PFF grades of 83.0 and 87.2, a great start for a young TE.
Unfortunately for Henry, he suffered a major ACL injury during the first day back at camp for the 2018 preseason and went on to miss the entirety of the Chargers' campaign that year.
Since returning from that injury, Henry has gone on to have two decent campaigns in the electric-blue of the Chargers. Last year he finished up with 4 TDs and 613 yards receiving to his name.
Hunter Henry might never become the player L.A. expected when they drafted him at number 35 in the 2016 NFL Draft, but the ceiling is still high enough for the former University of Arkansas star who has proven himself to be a dependable set of hands and an excellent route-runner over his first four years in the league.
Henry isn't far off the tier-one group of receivers I mentioned earlier (ranked 12th via PFF) and will be in high demand come the offseason should he and the Chargers opt to part ways. The only issue for the Saints may be the salary cap. The Saints need to trim the bill and Hunter Henry is likely to demand a higher salary ($10-12 million per year) than Jared Cook currently does ($7.5 million).
Prediction: It's impossible to say so early in the offseason, but I think Jonnu Smith could be the best option out there for the Saints. Hunter Henry is likely to cost too much for a franchise desperately trying to come in under the salary cap next season, and Robert Tonyan will likely stay in Green Bay; I don't think the backroom at the Packers will want to risk upsetting MVP Aaron Rodgers any more than they already have. Jonnu Smith has an unknown ceiling due to being underutilized in Tennessee, and I think his versatility and power would prove to be exciting (at the very least) in a Sean Payton-designed Saints offense.
Failing that, this guy (seen below) is rumored to fancy a return to the jazz bars of New Orleans, too...
What do you think? Did I miss someone? Does Cook deserve another shot? Have your say in the comments section below:
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