The New Orleans Saints made a bit of a splash this offseason with the signing of former Oakland Raiders tight end Jared Cook. They are hoping the veteran can provide them with plenty of bang for their buck like he did for the Raiders in 2018.

There is no question Cook is coming off the best year of his career. According to Pro Football Focus, he was among the elite tight ends in yards per route run last season.

Cook has always been considered more of an asset as a receiver than a blocker throughout his career. He was finally able to prove as much after finishing the 2018 campaign with 68 receptions for 896 yards and six touchdowns en route to his first trip to the Pro Bowl. The Saints are hoping to utilize his versatile skill set to help beef up their passing game moving forward.

There is good reason for New Orleans to be optimistic since quarterback Drew Brees has always relied heavily on tight ends in the passing game. Of course, his rapport with them has dwindled in recent years due to the lack of talent at the position. Regardless, Saints fans remember what he and tight end Jimmy Graham were able to accomplish all those years ago.

It is safe to say they are hoping Brees can replicate that kind of production with Cook moving forward. The veteran will have an opportunity to become a bit of a safety net with his new team. Cook might very well be the piece that takes the Saints over the hump and into the Super Bowl.