The signing of Jared Cook has got me drooling…My cousin and I were chatting back and forth about offensive sets when he confessed that he was having trouble concentrating on his work after word of the signing came out. Same here.
One person who has been overlooked in most of the conversation of how good this offense could be is Ty Montgomery. Montgomery was unable to continue the season but in a short five games (four really, as he wasn’t targeted in week one against the Bears) Montgomery showed promise and versatility for a rookie with little time to pick up the offense. Montgomery was 4 of 5 for 59 yards and almost 15 yards a catch against the Rams, it is unfortunate to see how he could have developed and I believe that he could have been a difference maker in a playoff game against the Cardinals that came down to one overtime series.
A lot of talk this off-season has centered around Jeff Janis and Jared Abbrederis and their development, and rightly so. Between those three young players, the return to health of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, and the addition of Jared Cook, Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers will look forward to a season more like 2014 than 2015.
And here is another thought…the signing of Jared Cook will also push Richard Rodgers to improve. Cook, regardless of what he is…is not a long term solution to the tight end problems of last year and that is an opportunity for Richard Rodgers to continue to grow. Beyond that, don’t be surprised to see the Packers pick up another tight end in the late rounds (compensatory) of this year’s draft.
I see the Packers using more two tight end sets this year with Jared Cook as a legitimate threat when motioned out to spread defenses out. But Richard Rodgers was instrumental in the (few and far between perhaps) good run games that the Packers had from time to time in 2015. The Packers could have the best two tight end threat in the NFC North now and with Angelichio coming in with fresh ideas, I expect that the Packers will no longer neglect two tight ends. Early on, they will test it out and if it is working, it could become a serious part of the Packers offense.
And that…is not even to begin to talk about all the other offensive sets we could see as the Packers kick the tires on Jared Cook. All in all, this is to some extent a “prove it” tight end as he has been in the league awhile and the offense as a whole has something to prove this year. But the addition of Cook and key returning starters make it more and more likely that the Packers open up the playbook and tear apart defenses in 2016.
But what offensive sets are you looking forward to this season? Let us know in the comments below or back on the Facebook fanpage.
Go Pack!
Now its time for TT to get a ILB and OL to protect Rogers and kept him on his feet and not on his back. I think if TT can find a good cheap ILB or a OL then look to the draft or trade to get the Pack back to where they should be. From my reading about players that went to other teams when they really wanted to come to the Packers, I’m sure that TT came work some magic and get what the Packers need. If TT can’t find a FA ILB, then MM should take one of the OLB, other than CM, that would like to start and make one of them the ILB.
I like the Cook signing. But Im concerned that the Packers will expect him to be playing at full throttle as soon as the season starts. At the end of the day, the guy is still a FA that is entering into an offense that is completely new to him and once again playing with an entirely new QB. I’m not saying it won’t be possible… but I’d like to hear some news stories about how Aaron Rodgers is throwing to Cook before OTA’s even start.