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Jared Cook makes his way out of Green Bay and signs with Oakland Raiders

By Raymond Rivard

Jan 15, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jared Cook (89) makes a catch in front of Dallas Cowboys free safety Byron Jones (31) during the fourth quarter in the NFC Divisional playoff game at AT&T Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 15, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jared Cook (89) makes a catch in front of Dallas Cowboys free safety Byron Jones (31) during the fourth quarter in the NFC Divisional playoff game at AT&T Stadium. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 8, 2017; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jared Cook (89) during the game against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2017; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jared Cook (89) during the game against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Jared Cook, the seemingly lost member of the Green Bay Packers who was expected to re-sign with the team from Packers News, is now headed to Oakland to sign with the Raiders, per reports from various outlets this afternoon.

All the talk at the end of the season in Green Bay was how Cook was the team’s top free agent and that re-signing him to a long-term contract should have been the top priority.

That didn’t come to fruition, as we all know.

Instead of signing the guy who literally saved the Packers’ postseason with that toe-tapping catch along the left sidelines in the Divisional Playoff game at Dallas in January, the Packers shunned him – mostly because he was asking too much.

Related Story: Free agency frenzy

Packers GM Ted Thompson then turned around and signed not one, but two tight ends for the team in 2017 – Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks.

Cook, who was thought to be the player Aaron Rodgers was homing in on when he told the Packers that they had to go “all-in” if the team was going to show any improvement in 2017.

Jared Cook was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the third round (89th overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Dec 18, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jared Cook (89) makes a catch against the Chicago Bears during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 18, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jared Cook (89) makes a catch against the Chicago Bears during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

The soon-to-be 30-year-old tight end played his first four seasons in Tennessee before heading to St. Louis, where he played another three years before being signed by Green Bay last offseason to a single-season contract.

In 10 games last season, Cook caught 30 passes for 377 yards (12.7-yard average) and one touchdown.

His presence on the Packers roster helped the team to eight straight wins at the end of the season and because of his ability to open up the offense many thought he would for sure be back.

Such was not the case, not only because of the money end, but because Thompson was able to bring in Bennett and Kendricks for just a bit more than Cook was asking.

What was most surprising is the amount of time it took for Cook to land with another team. After the Packers decided to go in a different direction, it took another week before the Raiders actually took the step to sign the tight end.

Now instead of catching passes from Aaron Rodgers, Jared Cook will have the opportunity to pair up with one of the best young gunslingers in the league – Derek Carr.

They will be an exciting tandem to watch next year and a team that, with the addition of Cook, will have one of the inside tracks among AFC teams that have a shot at next year’s Super Bowl.

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