Packers Free Agency: Jared Cook signs with Green Bay

Ted Thompson doesn't sign free agents. We hear the refrain time and again, and we debate the intelligence of the strategy ad nauseum. Today, however, it appears that we can put aside that debate and actually debate the signing of a player who played an NFL game for a different franchise last year.

Here's the report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network:

The #Packers are on the board: I'm told TE Jared Cook was spotted in Green Bay, set to sign with the Packers. Their big area of need.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 28, 2016

Cook has been connected to the Packers repeatedly this offseason, with rumors coming to a head about two weeks ago saying that he had been in Green Bay for a visit. Head coach Mike McCarthy was quoted as saying that he was "impressed" during Cook's visit. And according to USA Today's Tom Pelissero, the deal was done as far back as Thursday, and is only now coming to light with Cook being in town to ink the deal and take a physical.

UPDATE: The signing has now been confirmed by multiple media sources.

He will now be set up to become the athletic counterpart to Richard Rodgers this season, but should provide Aaron Rodgers with a big threat up the seam. Check out our breakdown of Cook's strengths and weaknesses here.

Cook was released by the Rams earlier this offseason, and therefore would not count against the Packers' compensatory draft pick calculation for 2017. Currently, Over The Cap projects Green Bay to be in line for a 6th-round pick (for Casey Hayward) and a 7th (for Scott Tolzien).

Click here for more details on Cook's contract, which is reportedly for only one year.