Washington Redskins: Chris Cooley return possible?

By Andrew Long | Aug 16, 2015

The Washington Redskins lost an important part of their offensive attack when starting tight end Niles Paul went down with a gruesome ankle injury in the teams’ preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns. The injury leaves Washington without Paul for the entirety of the season, which puts them in a precarious situation, as their backup tight end, Jordan Reed, is often injured and has yet to complete a full season since joining the league in 2013.

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Players suiting up as tight ends hauled in a total of 102 passes and accounted for 28% of Washington’s aerial production last season, meaning it’s a unit that they heavily rely on to move the football. With Paul officially shelved for the 2015 season and Reed’s injury riddled past playing a role, the Redskins are standing on thin ice in terms of reliable tight ends.

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The injury to Paul will shift Reed into the starting role. I firmly believe that he’s capable of striving as Washington’s starting tight end; if he can stay healthy, of course. Even if Reed is capable of playing and starting in all 16 games, the Redskins will still need somebody to lighten the load for the young pass-catching tight end.

One possibility is former Redskins tight end Chris Cooley. And while he’s been away from the league since the conclusion of the 2012 season, the veteran has recently showed interest in making a return to the gridiron. The 33-year-old tight end would undoubtedly be welcomed back by most fans, and would be an instant upgrade along the line in blocking situations.

In a piece written by Dan Steinberg for the Washington Post, the veteran tight end discussed his urge and ability to play again. “If I went to camp, I could be anybody’s third tight end, worst case. I have no doubt,” he said. “Any team in the NFL, I could be their third tight end. There’s not a question in my mind.”

With Paul now gone for the season, the Redskins will likely be in the market for an additional tight end. Logan Paulsen, Washington’s third-string tight end, will also miss the entirety of the NFL season with a turf toe injury, according to Tarik El-Bashir. With two of their three tight ends done for the year, the Redskins might want to give Cooley a call.

The former All-Pro tight end has been staying in shape and was spotted running routes prior to the start of the teams’ first preseason game against the Browns. He appears to be up to the task, and, while he hasn’t played in a few years, seems capable of securing a backup job on the squad.

I’m not going to sit here and say that he’s going to return to his former stardom and take the league by storm, but I do believe he’s good enough to block edge-rushers and make a few big grabs here and there. He’s an incredibly smart player; his knowledge of the game alone will help the team. The locker room, and the younger players that reside in it, would greatly benefit from the presence of a player like Chris Cooley.

While bringing Cooley back into the fold might seem farfetched to some, I don’t think it’s completely unrealistic or impossible.

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