What if TE Jared Cook returned to Green Bay?

The Green Bay Packers are going to move into 2022 without All-Pro receiver Davante Adams and speedster Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Perhaps they could find that help through an old friend. Jared Cook is currently a free agent. Most Packer fans remember Cook as the recipient of the throw from quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the team's divisional-round win against the Dallas Cowboys back in 2017. Cook brings 13 years of NFL experience. He is a two-time Pro Bowl tight end. That experience could be what brings him back to Green Bay on the back end of his career.

The 35-year-old has been very durable throughout his career. He has played 15-plus games in nine of his 13 career NFL seasons. He has more than 550 receptions, over 7,200 receiving yards and 45 touchdown receptions in his career. He has a career yards-per-reception mark of 13.1. That means he makes a lot of explosive plays down the field. His best season came in 2018 for the Raiders at the age of 31 when he caught a career-best 68 passes for a career-high 896 yards and six touchdowns. In his lone season in Green Bay back in 2016, Cook missed six games due to injury. However, he did catch 18 passes for 229 yards and two touchdowns in three postseason games for Green Bay. 

If the Packers were to bring Cook back, it would most likely be on a one-year deal due to his age. But he has put together a very solid career. He stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs close to 250 pounds. His size would be very valuable on any part of the field. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur would love to utilize him in the red zone, as would Aaron Rodgers. Cook and fellow tight end Robert Tonyan, when healthy, would be a nice one-two receiving punch for Green Bay, especially because they are both 6-foot-5. With the Packers' $17 million in cap space, they have plenty of room to sign the veteran. Time will tell to see if they want to add another tight end.