The Oakland Raiders have found their replacement for Jared Cook: Luke Willson.
SiriusXM NFL Radio NFL insider Adam Caplan broke the news on Twitter on March 29.
#Raiders are signing TE Luke Willson to a 1-year deal, according to a team source.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) March 29, 2019
The Raiders also made the announcement on their official Twitter account on Friday.
Another one to close out the week.
We have signed TE Luke Willson: https://t.co/K1NQNBc6jl pic.twitter.com/jN1yUsaN9G
— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) March 29, 2019
According to Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams (via Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper), Willson visited the Raiders on the same day Caplan announced the deal.
The Raiders signed Willson just three days after Cook signed a two-year, $15.5 million deal with the New Orleans Saints. Prior to his new contract with New Orleans, Cook was an unrestricted free agent who enjoyed his finest NFL season to date.
In 16 appearances with the Raiders in 2018, he caught six touchdown passes and 896 yards on 68 receptions. As a result, he earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
Willson fortifies an Oakland tight end lineup which currently includes Darren Waller, Lee Smith, and Derek Carrier. Willson played his first five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. He was a member of the Seahawks team which won Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos in convincing fashion, 43-8.
Willson is coming off his least successful pro season in 2018. He caught passes for just 87 yards with no touchdowns in 14 appearances with the Detroit Lions. The 29-year-old Willson signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with Detroit.
Suffice to say, Willson won't make Raiders fans miss Cook in 2019, since the two have been on opposite trajectories of their careers. The Raiders need Willson to regain some of his old form. If he does, he should help Oakland bounce back from a forgettable 4-12 campaign in 2018.
Willson has caught 102 passes for 1,216 yards and 11 touchdowns in his six-year NFL career.
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