- Joined
- Nov 24, 2012
- Messages
- 2,624
- Name
- News Bot
Howard Balzer
<a class="postlink" href="http://howardbalzer.lockerdome.com/articles/106733835" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://howardbalzer.lockerdome.com/articles/106733835</a>
Rams coach Jeff Fisher has always had his eyes on tight end Jared Cook.
It began in 2009 when Cook was draft-eligible after his playing career at South Carolina. Then in Tennessee, the Titans wanted Cook so badly, they traded a second-round pick in 2010 for New England’s third-round pick in 2009 so they could select Cook.
“It was his production,” Fisher said Thursday when asked what he liked about Cook four years ago. “His size and his speed, his ability to stretch the field, the hand-eye coordination. He’s got giant hands. He makes the tough catches. He’s a smart young man. He understands offense. He creates mismatches. That was the reason. We actually traded a future pick to get him in that draft and then just watched him develop. He’s developed into a good player.”
This year, Fisher and the Rams had to sweat out the decision by the Titans whether to place the franchise tag on Cook. They didn’t, amid speculation that Cook might challenge getting the smaller tight end tender of $6.066 million rather than the wide receiver franchise tag of $10.537 with the thinking that he should be considered a wide receiver because he played the majority of his snaps in the slot.
Cook didn’t deny that might have happened. Even though when asked if he considers himself a big wide receiver, Cook said, “No. I consider myself a really good tight end,” he later said when asked if it was true he might have challenged the tight-end tag, “The statistics showed it, but that’s (neither) here nor there. We’re not there anymore.”
No, he’s not. He’s in St. Louis mostly because of Fisher. Why did he choose the Rams?
“The history between me and coach Fisher,” Cook said. “I know his vision. I know what he’s capable of and I’m excited (about) the path that the Rams organization has taken. It’s been a big turnaround. It looks like we’re heading for clear skies.”
And what is it about his head coach? Cook said, “It’s just all about camaraderie. It’s about the players and he’s going to make sure that his players are happy. He’s going to make sure that his players are put in the best situations that they can be in, in order to perform on Sundays. I think that’s very important to understand your players and to be able to communicate with them when you’re going through a six-month, stressful season. So, he understands the nature of the game.”
Fisher can’t wait to get Cook on the field.
“Offensively he fits in a lot of different places,” fisher said. “It’s about creating mismatches with him and taking advantage of his abilities.”
Asked how Cook’s arrival might affect incumbent tight end Lance Kendricks, Fisher said, “It only makes it better. We’ll have them both on the field at the same time. That creates opportunities for us with the position and you can put the run game together and utilize the both of them.”
Cook got together with the team’s coaches Wednesday, including offensive coordinator Marty Schottenheimer and tight ends coach Rob Boras and was already excited about the team’s plans for him. And that would be?
He said smiling, “They explained to me a few different things yesterday. If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret anymore, would it?”
However, he then added, “They have a defined vision. Coach Schottenheimer and coach Boras, they know what they want. They know what they’re going to do with me. Sitting down with them yesterday in the meeting room going over plays, going over schemes, it had me ready to go. I was ready to line up yesterday. I still am ready to line up right now, just seeing the vision and seeing the layout that they have in this offense for me.”
As for the other young talent on offense, Cook concluded, “It’s exciting, isn’t it? It is really exciting. Just like you said: young, fast and talented players we’re bringing in, and we’ve got a goal set out. We’ve got guys on defense. Our defense is tremendous. We’ve got guys that are going to get the job done. We’re bringing in guys who will continue to get the job done. Like I said before, it’s clear skies. I’m excited and I think a lot of people in St. Louis should be as well.”
<a class="postlink" href="http://howardbalzer.lockerdome.com/articles/106733835" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://howardbalzer.lockerdome.com/articles/106733835</a>
Rams coach Jeff Fisher has always had his eyes on tight end Jared Cook.
It began in 2009 when Cook was draft-eligible after his playing career at South Carolina. Then in Tennessee, the Titans wanted Cook so badly, they traded a second-round pick in 2010 for New England’s third-round pick in 2009 so they could select Cook.
“It was his production,” Fisher said Thursday when asked what he liked about Cook four years ago. “His size and his speed, his ability to stretch the field, the hand-eye coordination. He’s got giant hands. He makes the tough catches. He’s a smart young man. He understands offense. He creates mismatches. That was the reason. We actually traded a future pick to get him in that draft and then just watched him develop. He’s developed into a good player.”
This year, Fisher and the Rams had to sweat out the decision by the Titans whether to place the franchise tag on Cook. They didn’t, amid speculation that Cook might challenge getting the smaller tight end tender of $6.066 million rather than the wide receiver franchise tag of $10.537 with the thinking that he should be considered a wide receiver because he played the majority of his snaps in the slot.
Cook didn’t deny that might have happened. Even though when asked if he considers himself a big wide receiver, Cook said, “No. I consider myself a really good tight end,” he later said when asked if it was true he might have challenged the tight-end tag, “The statistics showed it, but that’s (neither) here nor there. We’re not there anymore.”
No, he’s not. He’s in St. Louis mostly because of Fisher. Why did he choose the Rams?
“The history between me and coach Fisher,” Cook said. “I know his vision. I know what he’s capable of and I’m excited (about) the path that the Rams organization has taken. It’s been a big turnaround. It looks like we’re heading for clear skies.”
And what is it about his head coach? Cook said, “It’s just all about camaraderie. It’s about the players and he’s going to make sure that his players are happy. He’s going to make sure that his players are put in the best situations that they can be in, in order to perform on Sundays. I think that’s very important to understand your players and to be able to communicate with them when you’re going through a six-month, stressful season. So, he understands the nature of the game.”
Fisher can’t wait to get Cook on the field.
“Offensively he fits in a lot of different places,” fisher said. “It’s about creating mismatches with him and taking advantage of his abilities.”
Asked how Cook’s arrival might affect incumbent tight end Lance Kendricks, Fisher said, “It only makes it better. We’ll have them both on the field at the same time. That creates opportunities for us with the position and you can put the run game together and utilize the both of them.”
Cook got together with the team’s coaches Wednesday, including offensive coordinator Marty Schottenheimer and tight ends coach Rob Boras and was already excited about the team’s plans for him. And that would be?
He said smiling, “They explained to me a few different things yesterday. If I told you it wouldn’t be a secret anymore, would it?”
However, he then added, “They have a defined vision. Coach Schottenheimer and coach Boras, they know what they want. They know what they’re going to do with me. Sitting down with them yesterday in the meeting room going over plays, going over schemes, it had me ready to go. I was ready to line up yesterday. I still am ready to line up right now, just seeing the vision and seeing the layout that they have in this offense for me.”
As for the other young talent on offense, Cook concluded, “It’s exciting, isn’t it? It is really exciting. Just like you said: young, fast and talented players we’re bringing in, and we’ve got a goal set out. We’ve got guys on defense. Our defense is tremendous. We’ve got guys that are going to get the job done. We’re bringing in guys who will continue to get the job done. Like I said before, it’s clear skies. I’m excited and I think a lot of people in St. Louis should be as well.”