After a general hesitancy to use the uber-skilled Jared Cook in his first stint coaching the tight end, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher is looking forward to his new playmaking toy.
"He's obviously got years of experience under his belt, he understands the league, he understands defenses and he's picked things up really well," Fisher told the Tennessean on Saturday at a charity golf tournament to honor former Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger. "We're excited about creating mismatches, and offensive success these days is about creating mismatches."
Fisher coached Cook in the tight end's first two seasons with the Titans, during which Cook struggled with blocking and gaining his coach's faith -- he had just nine receptions in 14 games as a rookie in 2009.
Fisher said he was surprised Cook hit the open market this offseason and that the Rams plan to use him in a diverse set of packages.
"He's going to play all over the place," Fisher said. "We've even got him in the backfield, so we've got some good things for him."
Cook has the potential to be a big playmaker along with Tavon Austin in the Rams' revamped passing game. However, we've said that in the past.
Cook's tendency for drops and inconsistent play has held him back from becoming one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the NFL.
Follow Kevin Patra on Twitter @kpatra.
