Tag: Chargers preview

Why the Chargers need to carry 6 wide receivers in 2023

Considering the Chargers’ future and the necessities for what the offense will require, six WRs makes more sense than the traditional five.

By the end of August, the Chargers will face tough roster decisions for the 53-man roster cutdown. Making the proceedings more interesting this year is the NFL’s new 2023 rule: teams will be able to have one round of cuts from 90 to 53 instead of having three specified cutdown dates.

In both of his first two seasons at the helm, Brandon Staley has elected to keep five receivers on the final roster. Traditionally, it’s been four true wide receivers plus a special teams returner. Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Josh Palmer, and Jalen Guyton were the core four wide receivers in 2021 and 2022. K.J. Hill and DeAndre Carter were the two returner receivers that made the final roster in those seasons, respectively. Carter muddies the waters a bit, given the injuries last season and the fact that he had to step up, but the original intention was for him not to be as active in the offense as he was.

Fourth-round selection Derius Davis is expected to step into Carter’s role from last season as the full-time kick returner/punt returner. That itself feels like a pretty seamless transition. But drafting Quentin Johnston in the first round was a shake-up to that aforementioned core four from Staley’s first years.

If the Chargers decided to carry five wide receivers for the upcoming season, Jalen Guyton would be the odd man out in a final Allen-Williams-Johnston-Palmer-Davis depth chart. Given his connection with quarterback Justin Herbert that has been built up over the years and his straight-line deep speed, it’s a hard cut to truly imagine taking place.

Guyton is still rehabbing an ACL injury from the 2022 season, but indications to this point are that he’ll be ready by the time the season kicks off in the fall. An alternative option if he isn’t ready in time for September would be starting the season on the PUP list post-training camp. Until more information comes out about his injury recovery or other guys winning out in camp, it would be a surprise not to see Guyton on the team’s final roster.

Aside from it being unlikely that any of the primary receivers are waived, position group health is another factor to consider. Allen and Williams missed a combined 11 games last season (12, if including Williams’ missed playoff game). A harsh reality for the Chargers is that Allen is 31 and Williams is approaching 30. It doesn’t become easier for wideouts to stay healthy in the NFL as they age.

Most of what went into the decision to draft Johnston and Davis was the long-term view of the franchise. The last time the Chargers selected multiple wide receivers within the first four rounds of the draft was 1996. Contract restructures of Allen and Williams only strengthen the idea that the wide receiver group will look different in 2024. But part of the decision also had to be a short-term view for this season. The Chargers played games last year in which Carter and Palmer were their top two wide receivers when Allen and Williams couldn’t play. If Los Angeles is truly going to contend this year, that type of depth problem couldn’t be allowed to happen again.

Versatility is another reason the Chargers should carry six receivers aside from depth. All of the Chargers’ wide receivers tend to specialize in their specific skill sets. Allen’s finesse route running has always meshed well with Williams’ big body jump ball game. To supplement those guys, Palmer is a little bit of a mix of both in terms of functionality and can step in when asked, considering an injury. Guyton, as mentioned earlier, is the prototypical straight-line speed guy. Johnston adds an insane YAC factor that all of the aforementioned wideouts lack, and Davis could be the fastest player in the league with the ball in his hands. It would make the Chargers ultimately more one-dimensional if they gave up any of these skillsets to keep five wideouts instead of six.

In most of Kellen Moore’s five seasons with Dallas, they kept six receivers partly because they wanted to stay versatile and have guys develop in the background. It would be counterintuitive to cut a player like Guyton or Palmer that allows the team to be multiple and access the deep parts of the field.

Considering the Chargers’ future, current position group health concerns, and the necessities of what the Moore offense will require, rolling six deep at wide receiver makes more sense than the traditional Staley five.

Chargers LB Kenneth Murray using setbacks as motivation

Chargers LB Kenneth Murray returned to the practice field after undergoing ankle surgery in April.

Chargers linebacker Kenneth Murray faced plenty of adversity during his sophomore season.

Since training camp last year, Murray dealt with ankle issues. It worsened during practice before Los Angeles’ Week 4 Monday night game against the Raiders. As a result, he spent five weeks on the injured reserve and some time on the COVID-19/Reserve list.

When on the field, Murray struggled with missed tackles, over-pursuing ball carriers, and struggling to shed blocks and work off contact. He ended up experiencing a new position as an edge defender late in the season when the team was limited with players at the spot, and that was a challenge.

Murray had ankle surgery in early April and opened training camp on the physically unable to prepare (PUP) list. On Monday, it marked him being cleared to come off and his first day of practice since undergoing the procedure.

Murray acknowledged that all of the time in the rehab room by himself while his teammates got work on the field was difficult. All of Murray’s setbacks this past year are fuel to make an impact in 2022.

“I think everything happens for a reason,” Murray said. “Honestly, I truly do believe that everything that I’ve been through up to this point has been preparing me for this moment.”

The Chargers plan to ease him back into football shape, but Murray is confident that he will be ready to play for the season opener against the Raiders.

When he is ready to take the field in full capacity, Murray will start in base packages, while Drue Tranquill and Kyle Van Noy will start in nickel packages.

“He’s a very versatile player. He’s physical, has size and speed. Just really brings a lot more depth to that inside linebacker room,” Staley said on what Murray adds to the team. “He’s been in the NFL for two years now, so he’s acquired some experiences.”

Ranking the running backs the Chargers will face in 2022

A look at the running backs the Chargers’ defense is set to face in 2022, ranked from least to most threatening.

As part of our Chargers season preview, we’re breaking down each position unit from LA’s 2022 opponents, ranked from least to most threatening.

Quarterbacks

Today, we’ll turn our attention to the running backs, a group that includes some of the best players in the league.

14. Texans: Dameon Pierce/Marlon Mack

It’s been a while since Mack performed at a high level, as a torn Achilles in 2020 and the emergence of other players in 2021 has limited him to just seven games over the past two seasons. In 2018 and 2019, while in Indianapolis, however, Mack ran for under 2,000 yards at a 4.5 yards per carry clip. Those are no numbers to scoff at, and Texans coaches have been giving Mack rave reviews this offseason.

Pierce enters the league from Florida, where he was inexplicably underutilized for his entire career. The 218-pounder is a one-cut back with rare contact balance and surprising twitch given his size. I’d expect him to be the starter in a room full of career journeymen by the end of the season. With the Texans matchup coming in Week 4, however, Chargers fans should expect a heavier dose of a healthy Mack, with ample reps from Rex Burkhead, who dropped 149 yards and 2 TDs against the Bolts defense a season ago.

13. Chiefs: Clyde Edwards-Helaire/Ronald Jones

Leading rusher Darrel Williams is now in Arizona, leaving Edwards-Helaire and free agent acquisition Jones as the most likely candidates to take carries from Patrick Mahomes. The former LSU star has never really found a footing as a pro, and hip, ankle, and knee injuries haven’t helped him find any semblance of consistency. When healthy, Edwards-Helaire is a dual-threat back who will cause headaches for linebackers in coverage.

Jones comes to Kansas City after four seasons with the Buccaneers, where his role was diminished in 2021 due to a standout season from Leonard Fournette. He’s always been a favorite of preseason breakout lists and underrated player rankings because of his pure rushing talent, as well as recruiting and draft capital pedigree. With seven career fumbles, however, Jones will need to prove he can hold on to the rock if he wants to get most of the carries in KC.

12. Falcons: Cordarrelle Patterson/Tyler Allgeier

Atlanta is home to one of the strangest running back rooms in the league, as they’re led by return specialist Patterson, who more than doubled his previous career high with 153 carries last season. Now 31 years old, the question becomes when Father Time will come for Patterson, whose game has always relied on explosiveness.

After Mike Davis underperformed to the tune of 3.6 yards per carry in 2021, the Falcons cut bait and replaced him with BYU’s Allgeier in the fifth round. He fell that far because of a questionable pass game profile, as neither receiving nor pass protection are his strong suits. However, he’s an excellent zone runner with the build to bruise between the tackles and the vision to squeeze every yard out of his blocking. With a receiver as prolific as Patterson sharing the backfield with him, he doesn’t have to be a world-beater in that area. Expect him to take the early-down carries while Patterson comes in for passing and third-down situations.

11. Cardinals: James Conner/Eno Benjamin

Conner tied for second in rushing touchdowns last season despite only starting in six games, so you may be surprised to see the Cardinals unit ranked this low. However, Conner ranked third in the league in goal-line opportunities last season with 18, behind only Jonathan Taylor and Antonio Gibson. This offseason, Arizona brought in the aforementioned Darrel Williams, whose skill set suggests he’ll eat into those opportunities in 2022. Conner also only averaged 3.7 yards per carry, a career low. All this to say – Conner had a very good raw statistical season last year, but there’s reason to believe regression is coming, especially if he can’t complete a full slate of games, which he’s never done in his five-year career.

Behind Conner will be Williams and Benjamin, who will likely spend most of training camp in a heated battle for RB2. Benjamin hasn’t gotten many opportunities since being drafted in the 7th round in 2020. Still, guard Justin Pugh said that the third-year pro is the best outside zone runner on their roster this offseason and has improved his pass blocking skills tremendously. Kliff Kingsbury also told the team website that Benjamin’s running talent “has always been there” and that “he’s taken huge strides”.

10. Dolphins: Chase Edmonds/Raheem Mostert

From the Cardinals to a former Cardinal. Edmonds was Arizona’s most effective back on a per carry basis last season, averaging 5.1 a tote on 116 attempts. Still, Arizona elected to let him walk in favor of re-signing Conner. The 26-year-old took his talents to South Beach, where his fit in new coach Mike McDaniel’s offense is picture perfect. McDaniel comes from San Francisco, who ran the sixth-most zone runs last season. Your league leader in yards per attempt on zone runs in 2021? You guessed it, Chase Edmonds, with 5.8 per carry in 68 tries.

By the time the Chargers take on Miami in Week 14, Edmonds will likely be splitting early-down work with Mostert, who follows McDaniel from the 49ers but is coming off back-to-back injury-plagued seasons. In his last fully healthy season, the 30-year-old did take 137 carries for 772 yards and 8 TDs, nothing to sneeze at. Miami also has Sony Michel and Myles Gaskin under contract. Michel could rotate in on early downs, while Gaskin (if he makes the team) would eat into Edmonds’ pass-catching role.

9. Rams: Cam Akers/Darrell Henderson

After a stellar rookie campaign in 2020, many people had Akers circled as the next breakout star at RB. A torn Achilles has deferred those dreams, even with a ridiculous six-month recovery time that had Akers cleared to play by the playoffs. Reportedly 100% healthy with training camp on the horizon, Akers now seems poised to remind fans why he was considered highly entering 2021. He has star-level tools as both a runner and receiver and could pose a huge threat to the Chargers’ defense by the time Week 17 rolls around.

Beyond Akers, most carries will likely go to Henderson, who is also coming off an injury in 2021. The 2019 third-rounder has the added pressure of a contract year on a team that seems to have drafted his heir apparent in 5th rounder Kyren Williams, who will be limited for most of the fall due to offseason foot surgery. Henderson also has a nice blend of running and receiving ability, but I wonder if he’ll be used as more of a thumper for a Rams team that lacks a traditional one after trading Michel to the Dolphins. The other LA team also has a new running backs coach this season, so usage is subject to change and will likely heavily depend on training camp results.

8. 49ers: Elijah Mitchell/Jeff Wilson Jr.

If Mitchell was on any other team, I’d list him on his own, but the 49ers have become notorious for using five, six, even seven running backs in a season. Of those, Wilson seems the most likely to get a significant load of touches, but Trey Sermon, JaMycal Hasty, and rookie Tyrion Davis-Price will also be in the mix. It wouldn’t shock me if Davis-Price in particular has a big role by the Chargers game in Week 10, considering he has the speed and agility profile that Kyle Shanahan has historically preferred.

Back to Mitchell, the sixth round pick who cruised to 963 yards and 5 TDs on 4.7 yards per carry. Many people wrote the Louisiana product off because of the presence of Sermon, who was drafted three rounds earlier and had ample fans on Twitter after a stellar season at Ohio State. After averaging 5.3 yards per carry on first downs in 2021 and essentially powering the 49ers run game by himself because of injuries to every other major player, that’s not likely to happen again. Now, Mitchell did deal with durability issues as a rookie – his yards per carry dropped significantly between the first and second halves of games and he had injuries of his own that limited him to 11 games. He has reportedly been trying to get to a playing weight of 215, up from 201, to combat these issues, but there’s a chance the injury bug bites him again and he misses the Chargers contest. If that were to happen, don’t write off the other backs on this roster. 

7. Jaguars: James Robinson/Travis Etienne

The tandem of Robinson and Etienne will have their fair share of injuries to overcome, but a healthy and productive season from both of them could end up making this ranking look foolish. For Robinson, he’ll have to bounce back from an Achilles tear suffered in Week 16 last season. Reports indicate he plans to be ready by Week 1, but it’s eminently possible that he’s limited for the Chargers game in Week 3, if not inactive entirely. When healthy, Robinson is among the most underrated backs in the league, even by his own coaching staff. You may remember that among the chaos of the Urban Meyer regime a season ago, Trevor Lawrence had to beg Meyer to put Robinson in the game to give them a better chance of competing.

Etienne will return from the dreaded Lisfranc injury, but it’s important to quantify the severity before throwing him in the graveyard of talented players whose careers have been stolen by the ailment. Etienne had surgery on a Lisfranc sprain, which indicates he didn’t fully tear the ligament, nor did he break any of the bones in the area from what I could find. This is the best-case scenario, as the players whose speed and explosiveness never recovered after a Lisfranc injury almost overwhelmingly suffered full tears or broken bones. For his part, Etienne says the injury is fully behind him. If that’s the case, and he shows the same burst he did at Clemson, he and Robinson could form quite the dynamic duo.

6. Raiders: Josh Jacobs/Kenyan Drake

Jacobs recently fell out of the top 10 running backs on Jeremy Fowler’s annual poll of NFL personnel, but don’t let that fool you. His absence from the rankings is primarily because of his lack of ability as a pass catcher, which has increasingly become an important skill for NFL backs. As a runner, however, the former first rounder is the real deal. He’s also coming off an 132 yard performance in the Week 18 game that knocked the Chargers out of the playoffs.

Drake will be the pass catcher for the Raiders and should be ready for the regular season after sustaining a broken ankle in December. He’ll first have to stave off rookie Zamir White, who also has the pass-catching chops to earn a role in a new-look Raiders offense under Josh McDaniels.

5. Seahawks: Rashaad Penny/Kenneth Walker III

Penny had arguably the best last five weeks of anyone in 2021, going over 130 yards in four out of five games and scoring 6 TDs. It was a long-awaited coming out party for the former first rounder, who has spent large swathes of his three seasons on the shelf due to injury. Seattle gave him a one-year deal to show his second-half emergence was the real deal, and he should take the majority of carries in 2022.

The selection of Walker in the second round raised some eyebrows, but I’m of the belief that it likely means that Chris Carson won’t be returning in a meaningful capacity following a neck injury that ended his 2021 campaign. The Doak Walker Award winner is best on counters, a play that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron can get creative with thanks to DK Metcalf’s blocking abilities and potential misdirection with Tyler Lockett and Dee Eskridge on end arounds. He also broke the most tackles of any college runner last season with 89, so smashing him between the tackles is always an option.

4. Broncos: Melvin Gordon/Javonte Williams

Williams seems to be the next “chosen one” at running back, but Denver brought back Gordon on a reduced contract to continue to ease the second-year pro into a feature role. To his credit, the former Charger has been plenty effective in orange, posting over 900 yards in both of his seasons as a Bronco. However, he did lose three fumbles last season. Denver seems to have primarily brought him back because of his skills as a pass protector while expecting him to take more of a backseat to Williams.

A fan favorite as a rookie, Williams led the NFL in broken tackles with 31 and had plenty of highlight-reel bulldozes through opposing defenses. The pass protection wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t at the level of Gordon, who has years of experience to draw off of. Williams also doesn’t yet possess elite vision on outside zone, a staple of the Broncos offense in 2021 and a favorite of new coach Nathaniel Hackett. Denver’s first-year head coach went as far as to say he was “enamored” with the concept in June. Despite this, Williams simply has the power to run defenders over even if he doesn’t yet have the vision to avoid them entirely. It’s a formidable duo.

3. Titans: Derrick Henry

It’s indicative of the direction the league is going in that this is the first non-committee entry on the list, but there’s really not anyone behind Henry worth talking about. Despite breaking a bone in his foot and missing nine games in 2021, reports suggest that not only is he fully healthy, but the injury represents a very low chance of reaggravation. That’s a big deal for a 28 year old back with a downright absurd amount of tread on his tires as an NFL player. If the foot injury was truly a fluke and not a sign that his body is breaking down, I’m hesitant to suggest that Henry is on the decline. Combine that with the fact that the Titans-Chargers game is in Week 15 and it’s a scary proposition. Henry has always punished teams later in the season, when defenses are more banged up and less willing to engage with his runaway semi truck running style. Expect Week 15 to be no different.

2. Browns: Nick Chubb/Kareem Hunt

For my money, Chubb is the best running back in the league, although the player clocking in at #1 on this list is right on his heels. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry on his way to 1,259 yards last season, good for second in the league. While he’s not a prolific receiver, he does tend to get better as the year goes on. Good news for LA, who will catch him in Week 4 as he ramps up. He’ll still be a force to be reckoned with, however, as he put up 161 yards and 2 TDs against the Chargers last October.

Hunt is the ideal complement to Chubb as a receiving-first back with shifty rushing abilities, although he’s been the subject of trade rumors this offseason. That’s primarily because D’Ernest Johnson has also shown plenty of skill, especially during the five-game Hunt missed due to a calf strain last season. Personally, I think the Browns will ride it out – it’s a contract year for Hunt, and they can just as easily get a compensatory pick for him by letting him walk in free agency next year. In the meantime, breaking up one of the best tandems in the league doesn’t make much sense.

1. Colts: Jonathan Taylor

Taylor led the league in attempts (332), yards (1,811), and TDs (18) last season on his way to first team All-Pro honors. NFL personnel ranked him the second-best back in the league in Fowler’s annual survey, behind only Derrick Henry, although the two players actually tied in first place votes. Described as the “total package” by one AFC scout, the scariest part about Taylor is that he’s likely only going to get better. Just 23 years old, the sky appears to be the limit for the former Wisconsin star, and he’ll undoubtedly be the main focus of the defensive gameplan when the Chargers travel to Indianapolis for Monday Night Football in Week 16.

3 Chargers poised to have breakout seasons in 2022

The 2022 season will be a significant one for the Los Angeles Chargers. There are three players who are poised to have big years.

Every season, there are players who break out onto the scene who may not have been dominant the season before, whether they had limited snaps, dealt with an injury, or just improved as a player in the offseason.

It’s no different for a few Chargers players poised to have breakout campaigns and help the team with genuine Super Bowl hopes this upcoming season.

CB Asante Samuel Jr.

Drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, Samuel strung together a solid rookie season. On 58 targets, he surrendered 36 completions while registering 11 passes defended and two interceptions, which tied for a team-best with safety Derwin James. Samuel, however, suffered two concussions, which limited him to 12 games. Now fully healthy, Samuel will enter his sophomore season in a secondary that now features All-Pro J.C. Jackson. With Jackson aboard, it will allow Samuel to play inside or outside, depending on the package, where he should resume his playmaking skills and establish himself as one of the top young corners in this league.

WR Josh Palmer

The third-round pick out of Tennessee made his mark right from the jump last summer, showing off his size, ability to separate and catch everything consistently. It carried over to the regular season. However, his snap count was not reflective of his efforts. Instead, Palmer was overshadowed by Jalen Guyton, who was on the field nearly three times as much as Palmer, yet had not been as productive with his playing time until the midway part of the season, when he became more involved. Palmer ended up catching 33 passes for 353 yards with four touchdowns, with one of them being a critical fourth-and-21 touchdown in Week 18 that helped the Chargers eventually force overtime against the Raiders. Los Angeles will return Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Guyton. Still, given his increase in target share towards the end of 2021 and another entire offseason with Justin Herbert, Palmer should be an integral piece of the offense in 2022.

OT Trey Pipkins

The Chargers will have a battle for the starting right tackle spot between Pipkins, Storm Norton, and potentially Matt Feiler. Therefore, this is more of an assumption by slotting Pipkins here. But I’m a firm believer that Pipkins has the leg up for the job. Pipkins played well in his only two starts in 2021, both in pass protection and run blocking, and has spent this offseason working with highly touted offensive line developer Duke Manyweather. Meanwhile, Norton was the starting right tackle last season, and he had his fair share of struggles, allowing 60 pressures and nine sacks. And ultimately, I think the plan, for now, is to keep Feiler at left guard. Given his gradual progress each season and playing for another contract, whether, with Los Angeles or another team, Pipkins could be viable in a full 17-game slate.

5 Vikings players who pose biggest threat to Chargers

Highlighting a few Minnesota Vikings players who could make it difficult for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers take on the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday at 2:05 p.m. PT.

Here are a few Vikings players who the Bolts must hone in on to increase their chances of coming out victorious in Week 10.

RB Dalvin Cook

Despite facing a civil lawsuit from an ex-girlfriend accusing him of assault, battery and false imprisonment, Cook is still expected to play. The stats might not justify it, but the Chargers’ run defense has slowly improved since Justin Jones’ return. However, there’s no denying that Cook is the most superior back in that timespan. Even though he only has two touchdowns on the season, Cook has a knack for churning yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. With his explosiveness and elusiveness, one bad angle, one slow read could end up being costly.

WRs Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson

Expect Minnesota to resort to its ground game often. But given that the Chargers could be without Michael Davis and/or Asante Samuel Jr. again, Kirk Cousins will likely look to take advantage of a thin cornerback room. Thielen has 45 receptions for 477 yards and seven touchdowns this season, while Jefferson has 46 catches for 632 yards and four scores. Both are capable of getting open and making plays at any given moment with their speed and crafty route-running.

EDGE Everson Griffen

Danielle Hunter, who had 31 quarterback pressures and six sacks, would have been included. However, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 8 and will miss the remainder of the season. Despite the Vikings’ loss, Griffen’s partner in crime has been wreaking havoc. Griffen has 30 pressures and five sacks in 364 snaps this season. While the Chargers’ protection plan was better last weekend against the Eagles, Griffen is more than capable of doing damage.

S Xavier Woods

Not only could Justin Herbert potentially be in the face of pressure, but he will also have someone in Minnesota’s secondary seeking to eliminate his pass-catching targets and looking to turn the ball over. The addition of Woods has paid dividends for the Vikings, as he has been a role that caters to his strengths, giving him the ability to play closer to the line instead of as a deep safety as he played with the Cowboys. As a result, Woods has a sack, two interceptions, and allows a passer rating of just 31.4.

Chargers OT Bryan Bulaga’s status unknown for season opener

The veteran right tackle might not be available for the season opener against The Washington Football Team.

The Chargers will head into the 2021 season with a completely revamped offensive line that features starters at four spots.

However, the only returner from last season, right tackle Bryan Bulaga, might not be available for this upcoming Sunday’s matchup against The Washington Football Team.

The status of Bulaga, who is currently dealing with a hip flexor issue, will be determined when the team starts practicing this week, according to head coach Brandon Staley. If the veteran can’t play, Storm Norton would then get the start at right tackle.

Signed last offseason, Bulaga was expected to be the heart and soul on a fairly inexperienced offensive line but instead, he spent the majority of the season on the sidelines – making 10 starts, only playing 37.87% of the offensive snaps.

The talent of Bulaga is there, but so is the injury history. If the 32-year old can’t consistently stay healthy, the team may decide to cut ties with him before he enters the final year of his contract in 2022.

Who is the Chargers’ most overrated player entering 2021 season?

Pro Football Network names the Chargers’ players who is touted higher than they should be.

The Chargers have a roster filled with talented players. For the most part, a good chunk of them have lived up to or exceeded their expectations. However, there are a few that seem to downplay them.

According to Pro Football Network, tight end Jared Cook is Los Angeles’ most overrated player.

Cook has been a quality journeyman tight end throughout his career, as the Chargers are his sixth team in 13 years. Regardless, he’s 34 years old and nowhere near the same field stretcher he used to be. He averaged just 3.4 yards after the catch per reception in 2020, along with 2 broken tackles. Furthermore, Cook played less than 50% of offensive snaps the last two years. While a serviceable addition, Cook is little more than a stop-gap as Los Angeles aims to replace Hunter Henry.

L.A. lost one of their best skill players of the last few seasons in Hunter Henry this offseason and filled the void with Cook.

The signing wasn’t a splash, but it was serviceable. While he isn’t on the same caliber as Henry, Cook is a reliable and experienced player at the position who is familiar with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and the scheme he is going to implement.

Even at over 30 years of age, Cook has still proven to be reliable, having posted 312 receptions for 2,783 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns the past four seasons, with one Pro Bowl appearance coming back in 2018 with the Raiders.

Cook hasn’t received a lot of recognition in the media, whereas someone like wide receiver Mike Williams has but has failed to live up to his first round status, failing to surpass 50 catches in his career and has just seven touchdowns over the past two seasons.