Ranking the 3 most under-appreciated Saints in 2020

Jared Cook

The Saints brought in Jared Cook last season. They needed a steady endzone threat. Although they didn’t get him going early on, Cook turned it on to end the season and finished as one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

Cook’s yards were down year-over-year. What was improve though was his touchdowns, up to nine from six in 2018. Brees, especially late in the season, frequently targeted Cook in the red zone, and it paid off for both sides.

The 6-foot-5 Cook isn’t oftentimes considered a top-tier tight end. The fact of the matter is that Cook has the second-most touchdowns for a tight end, just one behind the Ravens’ Mark Andrews.

Cook did that all while being targeted very little. He wasn’t in the top 15 in targets per game for tight ends, and given his numbers, it’s insane to think over a fifth of his receptions ended in the end zone.

Cook did the most impact part of any sport — score. In 2020, he should be just as dominant, if not more dominant. He’ll be a huge factor for New Orleans as they look to improve on a 13-3 season in which he was really only going for the back half.