[Hacksaw]

"Several teams are exploring upgrading at tight end ahead of next month's NFL trade deadline, with the 49ers and Rams fielding recent calls exploring the availability of Vernon Davis and Jared Cook, respectively, according to multiple league sources. Both clubs appear open to that possibility, and while no deals are imminent at this time, they could well come to pass prior to the Nov. 3 deadline.

The 49ers and Rams have not begun shopping those players to all comers, but it is widely held among other teams that they could be had, and teams will continue to monitor that market and determine price points for those players up until the deadline.
--
Cook's contract makes a move for him trickier, but that has not stopped teams from at least making exploratory phone calls. He has two years, worth $7 million a season, left on his deal beyond 2015, but all of his guaranteed money is paid, so a team could part with him in the offseason without cap or cash ramifications. His production has been spotty, but he does have the capacity to make explosive plays. It may prove difficult for the Rams to get the kind of return they would hope given the expense involved in picking up the contract, but with tight end Lance Kendricks under contract in St. Louis through 2018, teams will continue to gauge Cook's value ahead of the deadline."

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/writer/jas ... t-heats-up

[BuiltRamTough]

A 3rd round pick for Cook any day.

He doesn't block and he's a tease.

[The Ripper]

3rd is what I heard on the radio in Florida but I can't see it.

[Ramfan46]

If I could get a 4th, I'd do it immediately. Go with Kendricks, Harkey and Cunningham and call up Bayer if anyone else goes down. Look for the some help in FA and the Draft next year.

[Elvis]

Like i said in another thread, maybe this is why Fisher is saying Cook did the right thing on the pick 6?

[Stranger]

trade him !!!

[BuiltRamTough]

If I could get a 4th, I'd do it immediately. Go with Kendricks, Harkey and Cunningham and call up Bayer if anyone else goes down. Look for the some help in FA and the Draft next year.

4th and a 7th? Let's make it happen!

[LoyalRam]

hell, for a bag of chips...Man stick a fork in me, I'm done with Jared Cook.

[moklerman]

No kidding. First phone call that comes in, whatever they offer, take it. Addition by subtraction IMO.

[Elvis]

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/p ... jared-cook

Could Rams trade tight end Jared Cook?

Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff Writer

EARTH CITY, Mo. -- Depending on who you ask, St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook could be available for trade before the early November deadline.

On Sunday, two outlets reported that Cook could be available, though, under different circumstances.

At CBSSports.com, Jason La Canfora wrote that other teams have inquired about Cook's availability (and the same for San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis).

But ProFootballTalk.com says it's the other way around and the Rams are more vetting potential interest in Cook.

My read here is that the latter is probably something closer to the truth though nothing appears imminent on this front because Cook has a contract that could make him difficult to move even if the Rams would like to.

Cook currently counts $8.3 million against this year's salary cap with $5 million of his base salary guaranteed. There are also two years of prorated signing bonus worth more than $2 million left on Cook's contract beyond this year, meaning that if the Rams dealt Cook, they'd have to take on the accelerated portion of that signing bonus as one lump hit of dead money for next year.

That, of course, assumes there's a team not only willing to take on Cook's contract but also that the Rams would get the right compensation to do a deal.

From a pure logic standpoint, a Cook trade wouldn't come as a huge surprise. Originally signed to play in a more wide-open offense, Cook hasn't been used that way and hasn't been able to have the type of breakout season many hoped he would upon signing. Additionally, the Rams gave tight end Lance Kendricks a fairly large four-year deal this past offseason and they would like to re-sign fellow tight end Cory Harkey before he reaches unrestricted free agency this offseason.

Which begs the question of whether Cook has a place with the Rams in the long-term and if he does, would the Rams be willing to have so much tied up into a position where run blocking takes precedence?

The benefit of trading Cook now is that the Rams could theoretically get compensation for him, but they also could part ways with him after the year with a cap savings of nearly $5.7 million. That, of course, doesn't take into account that the Rams are currently banged up at tight end with Kendricks recovering from finger surgery and Justice Cunningham recently called up from the practice squad.

The Rams haven't been shy about making trades in recent years, acquiring safety Mark Barron before the 2014 deadline. This year's deadline is set for Nov. 3.