Former Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley played a little armchair general manager today after the Los Angeles Rams released tight end Jared Cook.
TE Jared Cook 2 Greenbay! #GoPackGo. I said it 1st.
— Jermichael Finley (@JermichaelF88) February 19, 2016
We’re all well aware of the Packers shortcomings at the tight end position in 2015. It stands to reason they’ll be looking for an upgrade in 2016.
We also know that Finley doesn’t think much of Richard Rodgers, the Packers’ de facto starter. When coach Mike McCarthy fired tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot following the season, Finley was quick to point to Rodgers as the culprit.
Is Cook the answer?
He’s certainly had some solid seasons. The best came in 2011, when Cook caught 49 for 759 with Tennessee. He signed as a free agent with the Rams in 2013. In his three seasons in St. Louis, Cook had 671, 634 and 481 yards receiving.
Those are declining returns for a guy that’s 28 years old. He did, however, play with some pretty bad quarterbacks in 2015 (Nick Foles, Case Keenum, etc.). Even then, his 12.3 yards per catch was substantially better than Rodgers’ 8.8.
Would the Packers be interested?
Highly unlikely.
Let’s be honest here.
General manager Ted Thompson has historically only been interested in the draft. Despite the internal strife that bubbled to the surface in 2015, we will only believe Thompson has adapted his roster-building strategy when we actually see him do something different.
Is this something different?
Thompson has picked up players released by other teams in the past, most notably defensive lineman Letroy Guion and linebacker Julius Peppers. Not nearly as notably — Matthew Mulligan, Phillip Merling, Daniel Muir, K.C. Asiodu, Charlie Peprah, Anthony Smith, Kenderick Allen, Billy Cundiff, Raynoch Thompson, Earl Little and Arturo Freeman.
What’s the common thread there?
Value or, more accurately, thriftiness.
With the exception of Peppers, all of those players came cheap and as is usually the case when you buy something that’s cheap, you get what you pay for.
Guion and Peppers are the only two to make a significant impact and most of the players on that list didn’t even make the team.
As for tight ends, the Packers had a similar opportunity to sign free agent tight end Owen Daniels in both 2014 and 2015. He had 48 catches for 527 yards in Baltimore in 2014 and 46 catches for 517 yards with the Broncos in 2015.
Charlie Peprah hahahaha, haven’t heard that name in five years.
You realize peprah helped the Packers win a superbowl? Jermichal Finley was a flashy tight end but I think Richard Rodgers will have better numbers when it’s all said and done.
Better numbers? Like speed? YAC?
Like catches, first downs, TDs, certainly not drops though.
Packers should re-sign TE Colt Lyerla if they want a real TE. He has 4.2 speed that they are missing out on.
We’ve got enough druggies on this team.
Hey Jermichael Finley, can you please pursue TT to sign Danny Trevathan and to draft Hunter Henry. If you want Cook, than tell Thompson.
You get what you pay for. Funny, I think the same thing every time I read a post on this site.
Please stop dissing on big Ted. It upsets Packer Bob.
Thank you for understanding.
Watch some NFC West games and you may not be as enamored with Cook. He’s a lazy blocker and route runner, and he’s Jeramoo Finley stupid.
I’d take James Larinitus for a season at Middle Backer…
AJ Hawk 2.0.
After hundreds of post about Finley collecting on his insurance policy, am i the only person on here that actually wants to know if he actually collected?
Yes.
Did you do a survey with everyone? Or just talking through your…again
Please, explain.
Kotex are on aisle 9, btw, right across from the gas-x, how convenient!
We need a young drafted TE like Hunter Henry from Arkansas and a Championship caliber defense. To get better next year, sign FA DT Damon “Snacks” Harrison and a FA ILB of your choice (Laurinitis, Trevathan, D. Johnson, B. Marshall, etc) and we’re right back at the top. If Ted signs NO FREE AGENTS to improve our defensive talent this off season, I can guarantee another wasted year.
Also, regarding young Hunter Henry, you may have to move up to the top 20 to ensure getting him. Do not hesitate to do so, this draft is not that deep and the best players will be snatched up rather quickly.
Because Laurinitus is SOOOO much better than AJ Hawk ever was.
Jared Cook is an asshole. Makes sense that Finley would recommend him. Those two should join a bowling team together.
Yes he is. Do not listen to Finley. He can go shut his shitty mouth. He says stupid things on his garbage ass twitter account. You should go on twitter and tell @tekkenismyworld to RANT on this idiot. FUCK FINLEY! He is such a retard he loves Ted Thompson. Go on twitter and tell Finley to shut his mouth.
Jared Cook is a bad tight end Jermichael Finley. We are drafting a tight end SO DO ME A FAVOR AND SHUT UP. Packers fans, ignore Finley he is a idiot and ignore his stupid ass tweet. I hope Tekkenismyworld makes a rant video on this douchebag talking about Cook on youtube.