Official Randall Cobb FA Thread

[Joemailman]

12 million a year is out of the question imo. No way can I see TT paying him 2-3 million a year more than Nelson based off one good year. One in which he actually didn't play that well the first few weeks. Even 9 million a year is even a lot. If Cobb wants to play for the packers he better be reasonable or he's going to Greg Jennings himself out the door.

I agree. When I said it might happen, I meant someone might pay him 12 million. But not TT.

[red]

in 2011 the salary cap was 120 million. the franchise tag for wr's was 11.4 million or 9.5% of the cap

this year, the salary cap is 143 million, and the frachinse number for wr's is 12.8 million or 8.9 % of the cap

just because the cap goes up "x" amount, doesn't mean the new number for that position is (previous year + x amount)

[Bossman641]

I'll be real disappointed in Cobb if he truly expects the Packers to fork over $12M a year.

[vince]

If a team's going to throw crazy money at someone, Cobb's a guy to do it to. He can do an awful lot on the field, regardless of what position he's playing, and there's virtually no off-the-field risk. I think trying to pigeon-hole him as a slot receiver is missing the boat and teams aren't going to be doing that with him. Need an addition to help establish and/or add a winning culture in the locker room and film room? Cobb's that guy too.

There's still some hope he decides he needs to stay in Green Bay but it seems to me like someone like the Raiders are going to make it VERY tough for him to do that. There's just too much money out there.

I hope that's wrong.

[PaCkFan_n_MD]

I honestly value Bulaga more than Cobb anyways. TT has proven to have a difficult time finding quality olinemen. Its been ten years since we had this good of an oline. Without Cobb we still have Nelson, Adams, Abbredris, and Janis. I would much rather keep the starting oline together so I'm more worried about losing Bulaga.

[King Friday]

in 2011 the salary cap was 120 million. the franchise tag for wr's was 11.4 million or 9.5% of the cap

this year, the salary cap is 143 million, and the frachinse number for wr's is 12.8 million or 8.9 % of the cap

just because the cap goes up "x" amount, doesn't mean the new number for that position is (previous year + x amount)

The franchise number is simply the average value of the 5 top contracts at a point in time.

It has virtually no bearing on what the positions will actually be paid in free agency. That depends on which positions have the most talent available compared to the need on the teams with the most available cap space.

QBs always get paid the most...but there aren't any with any value available. That means MORE money will go to other positions, such as WR.

[King Friday]

I honestly value Bulaga more than Cobb anyways. TT has proven to have a difficult time finding quality olinemen. Its been ten years since we had this good of an oline. Without Cobb we still have Nelson, Adams, Abbredris, and Janis. I would much rather keep the starting oline together so I'm more worried about losing Bulaga.

I agree. I said so when that question first came up.

If you have a franchise QB...WRs are not as important as the OL. If you keep the QB upright, just about any receiver corp will get the job done.

[King Friday]

The cap has gone up just over 16% in the last two years (no one can calculate the next two caps). Even if you think Cobb is Jennings, that is $10.44 mil per year, not $12. Jordy is under $10 mil right now.

The cap will continue to rise...it is based on revenue and the recent TV deals demand that the cap rise more this year and next than in prior years. No one can "calculate" the next 2 caps, but everyone knows the numbers are going to move up more than they have recently. If you don't think agents will use that in negotiations, you are kidding yourself.

The age difference is an ENORMOUS premium in Cobb's favor as well. You don't have to worry about him declining due to age at any point in this contract.

[Fosco33]

Given that Cobb is 24 - he has so much upside potential. I'd really like to see him back w/ the pack (think - he's same age as Hyde, Abbrederis, Datone, Lacy).

[Patler]

I'm fairly certain Cobb would prefer to stay in Green Bay if the money is comparable...but it is starting to appear that Thompson isn't willing to pay a comparable amount at this point...

If Thompson believed that, the deal would be done by now. The fact that Cobb has OPENLY STATED he is agreeable to a fair contract value, and yet is not signed, should be concerning to you if you believe Cobb should be resigned. Cobb isn't asking for the moon...so it stands to reason that Thompson is being stingy or just doesn't really want to put more money into the receiver position.

Patler, there isn't nearly enough here to prove ANYTHING. If he's talking to other teams, OF COURSE he will be asking for the moon. They will need to offer the moon to take a WR away from a title contender with a HOF caliber QB.

I'm sure Green Bay could keep him for less than $12M a year. That isn't the question. The question is how much is Thompson willing to pay...and my guess is not much more than $8M.

If other teams are offering $12M and Thompson is offering $8M+...then Cobb is gone. He ain't taking that much of a haircut to stay in Green Bay.

Funny how in your earlier posts you found Cobb to be reasonable and TT unreasonable from the reports, rumors and statements. Now, when a report shows Cobb in a less favorable light, you argue that the reports are not to be believed. Of course, that has been my point all along. Both sides are posturing.

[pbmax]

Given that Cobb is 24 - he has so much upside potential. I'd really like to see him back w/ the pack (think - he's same age as Hyde, Abbrederis, Datone, Lacy).

Do you honestly think he gets better at this point? He has played for 4 years and played a lot for 3 of those years. Isn't his next step going to by wily vet?

[Fosco33]

Do you honestly think he gets better at this point? He has played for 4 years and played a lot for 3 of those years. Isn't his next step going to by wily vet?

That's the million dollar question. How many years and what's the production (value)?

Do I personally think he's got upside or will he remain a top 10 WR for next 3-5 years? Are there other, current (equally young/younger) Packers ready to step into the void if he leaves?

[King Friday]

Funny how in your earlier posts you found Cobb to be reasonable and TT unreasonable from the reports, rumors and statements. Now, when a report shows Cobb in a less favorable light, you argue that the reports are not to be believed. Of course, that has been my point all along. Both sides are posturing.

I do not recall saying Thompson was unreasonable. I did not say reports are not to be believed. Do you actually read my posts?

I said Thompson may be stingy or unwilling to pay what a fair market price (for Green Bay) is for Cobb, which I noted as $9M a year. My opinion is that Cobb is being reasonable in his demands of Green Bay. I think Cobb would rather stay in Green Bay if the gap in pay wasn't significant to go elsewhere. I can't prove that...nor can anyone here prove the opposite at this time. We'll find out who is right after the fact.

I also did not mention that any recent report was erroneous. If anything, I said that the $12M number probably would be what Cobb was asking of a limp dick franchise like Oakland or Jacksonville. I doubt he would leave Green Bay to go somewhere like that for an extra million a year. For all any of us know, the $12M was a leak from the Raiders hoping to get Cobb to free agency.

You are right, EVERYONE is posturing. That doesn't mean I can't have an opinion on the posturing.

[Pugger]

If I were Cobb I'd wait and check to see what the market is for me. If some team offers him #1 WR money ($11m+) he's gone. I'd love to know what we offered him that he feels isn't sufficient.

[Tony Oday]

Cobb is gone. No way the Pack spend more than $8 mil.

[Guiness]

The franchise number is simply the average value of the 5 top contracts at a point in time.

It has virtually no bearing on what the positions will actually be paid in free agency. That depends on which positions have the most talent available compared to the need on the teams with the most available cap space.

QBs always get paid the most...but there aren't any with any value available. That means MORE money will go to other positions, such as WR.

Yes, but Cobb is generally regarded as the top FA WR on the market - and those are the guys who generally get near the franchise number in new longer term deals.

[mraynrand]

yup

i'm all about locking your talent up with a year left on the original deal

for some reason, TT usually doesn't like to deal that way

he doesn't? It seems to me that he's done this with most of the guys he's kept.

[denverYooper]

$12m for a slot WR is too much and I suspect some team will offer him that and we won't be able to match it.

I'd be sort of surprised if he pulled 12m per from another team. He's a very good receiver but he's got a HOF QB throwing him the ball. That's got to make teams think twice... especially after the Vikings paid Jennings and he fell off a cliff without a stud QB.

[mraynrand]

Do you honestly think he gets better at this point? He has played for 4 years and played a lot for 3 of those years. Isn't his next step going to by wily vet?

Isn't this the offseason Cobb takes HGH, grows three inches and learns how to defeat press coverage?

[yetisnowman]

I honestly value Bulaga more than Cobb anyways. TT has proven to have a difficult time finding quality olinemen. Its been ten years since we had this good of an oline. Without Cobb we still have Nelson, Adams, Abbredris, and Janis. I would much rather keep the starting oline together so I'm more worried about losing Bulaga.

I can respect the let Cobb go argument until you start saying things like we still have Janis and Abberdris.