New Orleans Saints: Could Jared Cook stick until end of his career?

The New Orleans Saints were smart when they signed Jared Cook to a two-year contract but will New Orleans be his last stop before he retires?

There is no denying that the New Orleans Saints have struggled at the tight end position since parting ways with Jimmy Graham. Thankfully, the team seems to have found a solution for 2019 in Jared Cook. Beyond that, it’s truly a guessing game, though.

Nevertheless, the Saints signed the veteran tight end to a two-year contract and, thus far, Cook has been putting on a show at training camp. Early reports shined a light on his connection with Drew Brees and already have him making a huge difference when the season starts.

As exciting as that is, there are some limits when it comes to  Cook. Firstly, Cook is 32 years old, relatively old for a tight end. While he had a good season with the Raiders in 2018, it wasn’t enough to keep him around. That says more about the Raiders than Cook, surely, but it seems like the Saints were the best fit for him. Taking his age into account though, will the Saints be the last team Cook plays for?

Before getting to the Saints, it’s important to look back at Cook’s NFL journey. He was drafted in 2009 by the Tennessee Titans. He was with the Titans until 2013 and had a pretty decent start to his career.

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Eventually, Cook made his way to St. Louis after not getting paid in Tennessee and was cut after being replaced. Cook then bounced around from the Packers and Rams before eventually signing with the Saints.

Obviously, Cook has made his way around the NFL at this point. Regardless, the Saints seem to be the best landing spot for him. The Saints are poised to make a Super Bowl run this year and Cook will finally get a chance at a ring. Additionally, the Saints need someone who is reliable at the tight end rather than the carousel of guys they had the past few years. They need someone who is going to come in and make an impact which Cook will do.

That’s not to say that Benjamin Watson didn’t make an impact but Cook had a more productive 2018. If anything, Cook has the potential for longevity with the Saints. If the team doesn’t make it to the Super Bowl in 2019, their window will start closing but not completely.

Having Cook there as a reliable target for Brees is a must. Brees is one of the few guys in their offense who is a veteran and they need another strong presence. Cook also has the chance to mentor guys like Alize Mack, Josh Hill and Dan Arnold.

For the Saints, they get a reliable guy who can make plays and give them more time to find a guy who can be his replacement. The real benefits are for Cook, though. Cook has a future Hall of Famer throwing to him, plenty of chances to make an impact and already seems to be fitting well into the offense. It makes sense that Cook could end his career as a member of the New Orleans Saints.

Currently, we don’t know when Cook will hang up his cleats. That’s all up to him but signing with the Saints could be a great career move. If the good news about Cook continues, there is enough reason to believe that he’ll retire after playing for the Saints. Cook might change his mind, but winning a ring could be just enough.