Jared Cook signed a two-year deal worth $15 million with New Orleans in the offseason. The Raiders have replaced him with Darren Waller. So far that trade-out has worked out very well for Oakland.
Waller has been remarkably good for the Raiders. At the quarter-pole mark of the season, he’s caught 33 passes – on pace to set the NFL’s single-season record. Cook, meanwhile, has struggled in New Orleans.
As Week 4 comes to a close, Waller has caught 89 percent of the passes thrown his way. That’s the best of all tight ends with at least 10 targets. Including his limited work last year, the Raiders have gone 39 of 43 when passing to Waller.
Cook had a lot of productive games for the Raiders last year, but he’s struggled in New Orleans. He’s caught only 8 of the 18 passes thrown his way. Of the 33 tight ends with at least 10 targets so far, he’s the only player who hasn’t caught at least half of the passes thrown his way.
A few years back, the Saints gave Coby Fleener a big contract, and it didn’t really work out. Cook looks like he’s on the Fleener track.
All Waller needs to do now is carve out a larger role in the red zone. He hasn’t scored a touchdown yet. He’s not along in the record. Two other tight ends are on pace to catch over 90 passes but haven’t yet scored – Zach Ertz and George Kittle.
| TIGHT ENDS: CATCH RATES | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Pct |
| Darren Waller, Oak. | 37 | 33 | 320 | 0 | 89% |
| Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 14 | 144 | 2 | 88% |
| Will Dissly, Sea. | 22 | 19 | 181 | 4 | 86% |
| Austin Hooper, Atl. | 33 | 28 | 307 | 2 | 85% |
| O.J. Howard, T.B. | 12 | 10 | 131 | 0 | 83% |
| Tyler Eifert, Cin. | 11 | 9 | 54 | 1 | 82% |
| George Kittle, S.F. | 21 | 17 | 165 | 0 | 81% |
| Blake Jarwin, Dall. | 10 | 8 | 113 | 1 | 80% |
| Geoff Swaim, Jac. | 14 | 11 | 56 | 0 | 79% |
| Vance McDonald, Pitt. | 13 | 10 | 88 | 2 | 77% |
| Nick Boyle, Balt. | 12 | 9 | 107 | 0 | 75% |
| Delanie Walker, Ten. | 23 | 17 | 162 | 2 | 74% |
| Noah Fant, Den. | 15 | 11 | 130 | 1 | 73% |
| Gerald Everett, LAR | 15 | 11 | 87 | 1 | 73% |
| Evan Engram, NYG | 37 | 27 | 331 | 2 | 73% |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | 33 | 24 | 369 | 1 | 73% |
| Hayden Hurst, Balt. | 11 | 8 | 95 | 1 | 73% |
| Trey Burton, Chi. | 11 | 8 | 41 | 0 | 73% |
| Mark Andrews, Balt. | 32 | 23 | 266 | 3 | 72% |
| James O'Shaughnessy, Jac. | 16 | 11 | 96 | 2 | 69% |
| Tyler Higbee, LAR | 15 | 10 | 82 | 1 | 67% |
| Jack Doyle, Ind. | 17 | 11 | 109 | 1 | 65% |
| Jordan Akins, Hou. | 14 | 9 | 136 | 2 | 64% |
| Darren Fells, Hou. | 11 | 7 | 70 | 1 | 64% |
| Zach Ertz, Phil. | 38 | 24 | 255 | 0 | 63% |
| Greg Olsen, Car. | 29 | 18 | 226 | 2 | 62% |
| Dawson Knox, Buff. | 13 | 8 | 144 | 1 | 62% |
| T.J. Hockenson, Det. | 19 | 11 | 166 | 2 | 58% |
| Jimmy Graham, G.B. | 16 | 9 | 91 | 2 | 56% |
| Mike Gesicki, Mia. | 11 | 6 | 51 | 0 | 55% |
| Vernon Davis, Was. | 19 | 10 | 123 | 1 | 53% |
| Eric Ebron, Ind. | 16 | 8 | 128 | 2 | 50% |
| Jared Cook, N.O. | 18 | 8 | 90 | 0 | 44% |
—Ian Allan