Can Gerald Everett Finally Break Out With The Chargers?
Jared Cook didn’t have a huge impact on the Chargers in his brief stint with the team last season. His best years were pre-Chargers, from 2017 to 2018 when he was with the Raiders, and from 2019 to 2020 when he was with the Saints. He had 54 receptions in 2017 and 68 in 2018 and scored nine receiving touchdowns in 2019 and seven in 2020.
His reception number wasn’t bad in 2021 at 48, but he only had four receiving touchdowns when others in the position like Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews had nine, and even Rob Gronkowski, who played fewer games (12) than Cook, had six and more receptions at 55. Cook had a real knack when he was with the Saints for finding the openings and catching the rockets that came his way from Drew Brees. One would think he would be able to replicate this same production with Justin Herbert, who has such accurate, bordering on superhuman deep passing ability, but Cook just couldn’t find his groove in the offense. He’s firmly a middle-of-the-road tight end and at 35, unfortunately, age could be a factor.
The Chargers need someone with the whole package in the tight end position. They need a fast blocker to create more of that run-heavy offense they’re lacking. They need to be reliant on other runners and not always hand the ball off to Austin Ekeler to satisfy that part of the offense. They also need someone who can find openings and can hold onto the ball under pressure. Can Gerald Everett be that for them?
Well, Everett had his highest ever reception (48) and touchdown number last season with the Seahawks. He’s fast and physical and has found a way to succeed in offenses that are not in the most ideal positions. The Rams certainly didn’t have their franchise quarterback during the Jared Goff era and Seattle struggled last year with and without Russell Wilson. Everett is certainly a better option than Cook and at least has all the pieces they need, now it’ll be a matter of seeing if they fit.
Everett’s time with the Chargers is make or break. He hasn’t had the primary tight end role that much in the past and never had the complete offense needed to make an impact, especially when it came to the quarterback. And now, he’s stepping into a system with a franchise quarterback, a retooled offensive line, and steady coaching. So there’s really no excuse not to shine. He’s certainly someone I’ll be keeping an eye on this fantasy football season to add on that bye-week or to fill a flex spot.
