QB Manuel close to deal; tight end Cook signs
Jared Cook, you have a new team.
Connor Cook, you have competition.
On a busy Thursday, the Raiders signed former Green Bay tight end Jared Cook to a two-year contract and were close to a deal with ex-Buffalo quarterback EJ Manuel, who would compete with Connor Cook for the backup job behind Derek Carr. ESPN reported that the Raiders were expected to sign Manuel. First, Jared Cook. The eight-year veteran becomes the latest playmaker for an offense that ranked sixth in the NFL last year, had two 1,000-yard receivers and added wideout Cordarrelle Patterson on Tuesday.
Last season, Cook, 29, who missed time with an ankle injury, had 30 receptions for 377 yards in 10 games with Green Bay. In the postseason, he had a clutch 36-yard sideline catch in a divisional-round upset of the Cowboys, a grab he said Thursday he has been asked about every day during the offseason.
A 2009 third-round pick of the Titans, Cook has two 50catch seasons since 2013 and 303 career receptions.
Cook’s two-year deal is worth up to $12.2 million, NFL Network reported.
What else attracted him to Oakland? Well, Carr, of course. Cook, who termed him a “great quarterback,” said he watched video with Carr, who also sat in on part of his meeting with the team Thursday.
“Love the kid,” Cook said. “He’s cool. He’s real down to earth. I enjoyed talking to him about the offensive system ... and how they see me fitting in this offense.”
Manuel, the No. 16 pick in 2013, spent his second NFL season with Todd Downing, now the Raiders’ offensive coordinator, who was his position coach with the Bills in 2014. The Raiders aren’t expected to re-sign backup Matt McGloin, which will set the stage for Manuel to vie with Connor Cook for second-string status.
Cook, a rookie fourth-round pick, made his first career start in a wild-card loss at Houston after Carr broke his leg on Christmas Eve. Cook threw three interceptions and Oakland had a season-low 203 yards in the 27-14 defeat.
Manuel, who will turn 27 Sunday, has made 17 career starts, but just three in the past two seasons. His completion percentage (58.3) and passer rating (77.5) rank 40th and 38th, respectively, among the 42 quarterbacks with at least 500 attempts since 2013.
The two anticipated additions to the offense came a day after the Raiders lost running back Latavius Murray, who signed a three-year contract with the Vikings late Wednesday night. The contract is reportedly worth $15 million, with $8.5 million guaranteed.
Murray, 27, had 2,350 total yards, 74 receptions and 18 touchdowns in his final two seasons with the Raiders.
Last season, Oakland’s DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard combined for 970 yards and averaged 5.6 yards a carry as rookies, but they might not be viewed as leadback candidates.