The Green Bay Packers will be without top offseason acquisition Jared Cook until at least training camp.
According to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, Cook underwent “preventative” surgery on his foot this week. He is now expected to miss the rest of OTAs and minicamps this summer, but the Packers are hopeful their new tight end will be ready to return by training camp, which begins in late July.
Green Bay signed Cook to a one-year, $2.75 million deal, with another $900,000 available through various incentives. A 6’5″ target with good speed and the ability to make plays after the catch, Cook signed with the Packers to give Aaron Rodgers another viable receiving option to attack the middle of the field.
Over 16 games last season, Cook caught 39 passes for 481 yards and zero touchdowns. The Rams cut him in a salary cap dump in February, or three years into his five-year, $35 million deal signed in2013.
The 29-year-old has been mostly healthy over his career. Cook has missed just five games in seven seasons, while playing in all 16 games in five of his seven years.
According to ESPN, Cook and the Packers decided on surgery now to prevent a potentially bigger issue down the road. While he’ll miss valuable time learning the offense and developing chemistry with Rodgers this summer, it’s better to miss the time now than during the regular season.
