Official Randall Cobb FA Thread

[Guiness]

I'm also getting the feeling he'll be gone. As others have said, that would be a lot of money tied up in the WR position, is that something they want to do?

OTOH, the Packers have sunk big money into multiple players at other positions - CB and OLB - so maybe they will.

I do wonder why the deal didn't get done during the season. Was it a matter of Cobb betting on himself? After the injury in 2013, I would've thought he was motivated to get some money in the bank sooner rather than later.

[King Friday]

and i think it might be a wise move to NOT tie up a lot of money in another WR

Why? Putting money toward keeping good players is fine. Cobb is a good player...he's young...he's ascending. Thompson should focus on NOT putting money toward mediocre or average players. That is what destroys your cap.

The Packers let Jennings go because he was not young and no longer ascending. Same with Jones. The Packers also had capable PROVEN young talent rising when they let those guys go...like Nelson, Cobb, etc. That is no longer true. Adams looks capable...but I don't think he's proven yet. Everything behind Adams is a complete unknown at this point. I don't care what McCarthy "thinks" about who is going to step up. He doesn't know...neither does anyone else at this point.

There are a lot of FA receivers this year...and none of them are getting locked up yet. I think everyone is waiting for the market to firm up for these guys. The lack of movement is more of a "business" decision than a sign that Green Bay isn't interested in keeping Cobb.

[Guiness]

Why? Putting money toward keeping good players is fine. Cobb is a good player...he's young...he's ascending. Thompson should focus on NOT putting money toward mediocre or average players. That is what destroys your cap.

The Packers let Jennings go because he was not young and no longer ascending. Same with Jones. The Packers also had capable PROVEN young talent rising when they let those guys go...like Nelson, Cobb, etc. That is no longer true. Adams looks capable...but I don't think he's proven yet. Everything behind Adams is a complete unknown at this point. I don't care what McCarthy "thinks" about who is going to step up. He doesn't know...neither does anyone else at this point.

There are a lot of FA receivers this year...and none of them are getting locked up yet. I think everyone is waiting for the market to firm up for these guys. The lack of movement is more of a "business" decision than a sign that Green Bay isn't interested in keeping Cobb.

The lack of movement in getting the top WRs signed by the teams they played for last year is interesting. Bryant, Cobb and Demaryius are all unsigned. Maclin as well.

I wonder if part of it is because of the high franchise tag at that position? At 12M, does that reduce its effectiveness as a bargaining lever teams can use?

[Bretsky]

Just sign him already...5Yr 44MIL
Get it down. You keep ascending players. You keep Randall Cobb

[vince]

I think I read somewhere that Cobb's agent would be meeting with the Packers at the Combine. Would Ted actually be able to stop drooling over the rooks long enough to close a deal for Cobb?

[yetisnowman]

Just sign him already...5Yr 44MIL
Get it down. You keep ascending players. You keep Randall Cobb

This. The dropoff would be massive without him. We need him to compete for superbowls.

[denverYooper]

Why? Putting money toward keeping good players is fine. Cobb is a good player...he's young...he's ascending. Thompson should focus on NOT putting money toward mediocre or average players. That is what destroys your cap.

The Packers let Jennings go because he was not young and no longer ascending. Same with Jones. The Packers also had capable PROVEN young talent rising when they let those guys go...like Nelson, Cobb, etc. That is no longer true. Adams looks capable...but I don't think he's proven yet. Everything behind Adams is a complete unknown at this point. I don't care what McCarthy "thinks" about who is going to step up. He doesn't know...neither does anyone else at this point.

There are a lot of FA receivers this year...and none of them are getting locked up yet. I think everyone is waiting for the market to firm up for these guys. The lack of movement is more of a "business" decision than a sign that Green Bay isn't interested in keeping Cobb.

They offered Jennings a nice contract previous to his last season with the Packers. I don't remember the numbers, but they were around 10 mil. He chose to turn that down and play for the opportunity to get more. Then he got injured, had a subpar season, and probably lost money on Green Bay's original offer.

At the time, and soon after he left the Packers, he and his retinue made comments to the effect that Rodgers was holding Jennings back by not feeding him the ball. He acted a bit like a diva at the end and ended up getting overpaid by the Vikings. Turned out that Rodgers can make a big difference for a WR.

I don't get that air from Cobb. I get the sense that he likes playing with Rodgers and sees their relationship as more of a connection than a competition. Rodgers, too, has made comments about how much he enjoys the connection he has with Randall.

And I think they cut Jones to free up a bit more room to work on Bulaga and Cobb.

[denverYooper]

No team's in a hurry right now, either. I think both sides were waiting to find out the 2015 salary cap was going to be before they engaged in any serious negotiation. The fact that they let Jones go pretty shortly after the cap was announced makes me think that they have a deal or two in progress.

[vince]

No team's in a hurry right now, either. I think both sides were waiting to find out the 2015 salary cap was going to be before they engaged in any serious negotiation. The fact that they let Jones go pretty shortly after the cap was announced makes me think that they have a deal or two in progress.

Start of free agency is March 10. At least it won't be too much longer one way or another.

[pbmax]

This. The dropoff would be massive without him. We need him to compete for superbowls.

What if Cobb thinks he gets more than this elsewhere?

Can you really pay a slot guy almost $2 million more a year than the last FA deal?

[Patler]

And I think they cut Jones to free up a bit more room to work on Bulaga and Cobb.

That, and the fact that Jones no longer figures into their plans at all as a backup or STs. No point carrying him to camp at that salary, because an injury in a team activity could cost them a lot. I think he would have been cut even if they had no intention to sign anyone.

[Patler]

First, let me make the following clear:
- I fully expect they will re-sign Cobb, unless he gets a massive deal somewhere.
- I want them to re-sign Cobb.

That said, I don't think all is lost if he goes elsewhere. Much of what I am hearing about Cobb being irreplaceable I heard about Walker when he was holding out, Driver when his contracts were due and when he was aging, Jennings when hiis future was debated for two years, Finley when his contract was up and when his future became doubtful and Nelson when his contract was due. To a lesser degree, there was worry about Jones departure. Now it's Cobb's turn.

I think reality is that they don't need to replace anyone, they simple reformulate a bit to take advantage of what the next guy in line has to offer.

If Cobb were to leave, I think the offense would be fine with Adams. Rodgers II could step forward at TE ("Q" is what he is at this point). With a possible return to form by Boykin (perhaps unlikely), and/or steps up by Abbrederis or Janis and another likely draft pick or two at WR and/or TE, they will be fine. Sure, each and every one is indefinite, but they don't need all of them to blossom, just one or two.

I don't want them to lose Cobb, but I will not anguish over it if they do; nor will my expectations for the upcoming season go down because of it.

[oldbutnotdeadyet]

First, let me make the following clear:
- I fully expect they will re-sign Cobb, unless he gets a massive deal somewhere.
- I want them to re-sign Cobb.

That said, I don't think all is lost if he goes elsewhere. Much of what I am hearing about Cobb being irreplaceable I heard about Walker when he was holding out, Driver when his contracts were due and when he was aging, Jennings when hiis future was debated for two years, Finley when his contract was up and when his future became doubtful and Nelson when his contract was due. To a lesser degree, there was worry about Jones departure. Now it's Cobb's turn.

I think reality is that they don't need to replace anyone, they simple reformulate a bit to take advantage of what the next guy in line has to offer.

If Cobb were to leave, I think the offense would be fine with Adams. Rodgers II could step forward at TE ("Q" is what he is at this point). With a possible return to form by Boykin (perhaps unlikely), and/or steps up by Abbrederis or Janis and another likely draft pick or two at WR and/or TE, they will be fine. Sure, each and every one is indefinite, but they don't need all of them to blossom, just one or two.

I don't want them to lose Cobb, but I will not anguish over it if they do; nor will my expectations for the upcoming season go down because of it.

I agree. Packers don't seem to have problems finding wide receivers. No sense busting the bank to sign Cobb. Do I want to keep him, sure, but I would rather see the money go to higher needs on the team. It will be super bowl next year so you do what ya gotta do...

[red]

I agree. Packers don't seem to have problems finding wide receivers. No sense busting the bank to sign Cobb. Do I want to keep him, sure, but I would rather see the money go to higher needs on the team. It will be super bowl next year so you do what ya gotta do...

exactly

ad in the fact that TT knows how to find wr's, M33 knows how to coach them up, and a-rod knows how to get the best out of him

we already have one clear cut #1 in jordy, do we really need to pay two #1s?, with our wr factory?

[Guiness]

exactly

ad in the fact that TT knows how to find wr's, M33 knows how to coach them up, and a-rod knows how to get the best out of him

we already have one clear cut #1 in jordy, do we really need to pay two #1s?, with our wr factory?

I'm really torn about what to think about this. Everything you say is right, but I have to wonder, is Cobb a special player? 100 catches, 1300 yards, yes Rodgers makes his WRs better, but you can't credit him with all of those yards. The announcers are always raving about how Cobb gets open on broken plays/when Rodgers gets flushed from the pocket, with Rodgers propensity to hold the ball too long, how important is that, and is it something that can easily be found?

Of course, the announcers, especially Buck, always say that's because Cobb used to be a QB, which is a load. Being a QB in HS and as part of a wildcat formation in colledge gives you exactly zero insight into how to be a good receiver in the NFL game!