Oakland Raiders: Jared Cook named to the AFC Pro Bowl team

Jared Cook had a monster season for the Oakland Raiders in 2018, and on Monday, he was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team.

The Oakland Raiders were shut out of the AFC Pro Bowl voting a month ago, as not a single member of the team was named to the team. However, that all changed on Monday, as Jared Cook was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team.

Cook had another great season for the Raiders in 2018, leading the team in receiving yards for the second straight season. In addition, he set career highs in catches (68), yards (896), and touchdowns (6), while going over the 100-yard mark four times.

After leading the Raiders in receiving yards in 2017, Cook came into the 2018 campaign having to learn a new offense, as the team brought in Jon Gruden to be the head coach. New coach, same result, as Derek Carr leaned on his tight end throughout the season, adding to the chemistry they started the year before.

When the Pro Bowl rosters were announced last month, it was a bit shocking that Cook was not named to the AFC team, as he was one of a couple of snubs. Maybe it was the fact that the Raiders record was nothing to write home about, but the truth is, both Cook and Rodney Hudson should have been Pro Bowlers.

The veteran tight end will replace Travis Kelce on the AFC team, as Kelce’s season just ended this past Sunday against the New England Patriots at home. Kelce is one of the better tight ends in all of football, but over the last two seasons, Cook has proven to be quite the option in the Raiders passing game as well, and it will be great to see him playing in his first Pro Bowl.

Heading into the 2019 NFL season, Cook is a free agent, but you have to believe the Raiders would love to have him back in the Silver and Black. He has only improved since putting on a Raiders uniform, becoming a very reliable target for Carr when others have failed to do so.