INTEREST HEATING UP FOR COBB

Randall Cobb

It seems someone does love Randall Cobb and I'm afraid its not the Packers. Reports today (Feb. 24) are the Raiders have put out the welcome mat for the Packers' No. 1B wide receiver/slot receiver/halfback, who was coming off an injury plagued season where he missed 10 games in the middle of the season with a broken shin only to put up big numbers during his contract year with career highs of 91 catches, 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns.

 

The lack of movement on a new contract during the season was curious considering Cobb was going to attract attention and his demand of $9 million contract is very reasonable and isn't a budget buster. Thompson will have around $30 million cap money to spend and maybe more when he purges the roster of the expensive deadwood (i.e. hopefully Count Hawkula), so what's the deal?

 

First, it seems Thompson saw an $8 million saving when rookie wide receiver Davante Adams moved up the depth chart leaping over Jarrett Boykin to claim the No. 3 spot and then turning it up a notch at the end of the regular season and in the playoffs proving he could be the go-to man on the outside when Jordy Nelson was being double-teamed. I think that is the reason no contract talks were started during the season.

 

Second, Head Coach Mike McCarthy entered the fray when he made comments about another rookie wide receiver/kick returner Jeff Janis (or as one of Packerbackers I watch the games with calls him, "Janis Joplin"). Janis made the team and was inactive for the first three games. He was activated for the next three and caught two passes for 16 yards against the Vikings, but he ended up being inactive for the final 12 games and the playoffs. During the pre-season he caught two passes for 34 and 33 yards with both going for touchdowns. He also returned four punts for a 13 yard average and one kickoff for 62 yards. Cobb began his career with an electrifying kickoff return for a touchdown, but over the years his returning duties have dwindled.

 

So when McCarthy made these comments during the Combine, "I think Jeff is going to take a big step. He’s got a big catching radius, and he needs to utilize it. Obviously, I think we all saw his vertical speed. He’s an extremely physical young man. He’s an Olympian in the weight room. He’s got a lot of raw skill, and I look for him to make that jump," it really struck me he was driving the final nail in Cobb's coffin (I wish we could do the same with A. J. Hawk, but that's another rant).

 

There's always big talk coming from Thompson about his free agency strategy of being extremely careful about going after somebody else's expensive baggage, while signing their own. Thompson has decisions to make as far as the Packers free agents, especially Cobb.

 

Thompson may be a lot of things and one is he's his own man and doesn't seem to listen to anyone giving advice or to public opinion. He is large and in charge and signed until 2018, so no matter how many of us would have liked to see the Packers go in a different direction that won't happen unless someone makes him an offer he can't refuse. If Thompson needs a letter of reference I would be happy to write him one and I would fill it full of bs to make him the most desirable candidate. But nobody has asked me, especially the Packers Board when they extended his contract that would have run out in 2015.

 

However, if he did ask my opinion I would tell to re-sign Cobb before he hits free agency on March 10. I am sure, as I am about anything, that if Cobb hits the market he will be signed the first day. But he hasn't asked me and he won't listen to me if by some chance he reads these blogs and newspaper articles. I also don't think he reads the popular press since only a few sycophants are in his corner (on the whole).

 

I think a receiver corps of Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams and Jeff Janis would strike fear in the hearts of every defensive coordinator in the league and a smile bigger than victory sex with Olivia Munn already puts on the face of Aaron Rodgers. Reason enough to re-sign him.

 

But from what I've heard about the lack of movement on any contract talks I'm afraid Randall Cobb will be playing for some other team next year. Cobb wants to be here, Cobb has a tremendous work ethic, and Cobb is a known commodity while Adams and Janis are still unknown. So for those reasons I think letting him go to the Raiders or Vikings or Bears or Lions or 49ers will be a big mistake the Packers will be paying for many years.