By Ian Riise | Last Word On Sports
Ever since Drew Brees took over as the New Orleans Saints starting quarterback in 2006, there have been few concerns about the passing game. The NFL’s all-time passing yards leader had helped the Saints finish fifth or better every year in total passing yards until last season.
Despite setting a new single-season record with a 74.4 completion percentage in 2018, Brees and the Saints offense struggled to meet their productivity standard and finished 12th in total passing yardage.
The problem was simple. Aside from wide receiver Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara, the Saints receiving corps lacked proven talent. It didn’t help that number two wide receiver Ted Ginn missed all but five regular season games. When opposing defenses successfully minimized Thomas and Kamara, Brees struggled to find open targets in a passing attack once known for its depth and versatility.
Fortunately, New Orleans made a big move in free agency to give Brees another target. They signed 6’5″ veteran tight end Jared Cook, a valuable receiving threat who is fresh off his first Pro Bowl selection. While there are other issues facing the Saints 2019 passing offense, the Cook signing addressed the unit’s biggest concern and his presence should lead to an overall boost in pass production.
Full Story - LWOS
