The Facts: The Saints announced that the club has terminated the contracts of Cook. "Jared consistently displayed the playmaking skills that attracted us to him as a free agent two years ago," said HC Sean Payton. "He made a lot of big plays for us and was a positive influence on his teammates. Jared is a consummate professional who is dedicated to his craft and we wish him the best of luck in the future."

Diehards Line: Cook, 6-6, 254, was signed by New Orleans as an unrestricted free agent in 2019 and is a 12-year NFL veteran who was originally selected in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Titans. He has appeared in 178 career games with 89 starts, posting 505 receptions for 6,673 yards (13.2 avg.) with 41 touchdowns. Since joining New Orleans in 2019, Cook, played in 29 games and recorded 80 receptions for 1,209 yards (15.1 avg.) with 16 touchdowns, tied for the second-highest scoring grab total at the position during that period. After being named to the Pro Bowl in 2019, recording 43 grabs for 705 yards with nine touchdowns, Cook played in 15 games in 2020 and led the tight ends group with 37 catches for 504 yards and a team-best seven touchdown receptions. He was scheduled to become a free agent, so this move was not a surprise.