Green Bay Packers

What's Next for Randall Cobb?

Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas (USA TODAY Sports)

One and a half weeks into the Green Bay Packers’ offseason, there has been a great deal of speculation regarding whether or not a franchise icon will return to the team.

When the Packers brought Randall Cobb back, the circumstances could not have been more heartwarming, and expectations were through the roof. The hometown hero was coming back. It was debatably a questionable decision to let him walk in 2019, but the Chicago Killer returned to complete what was supposed to be a storybook year for Green Bay.

Things did not go as anticipated. The playoff defeat had almost nothing to do with Cobb. He was hardly used or targeted in the game, though it did raise speculation about his role on the team moving forward.

If there is a place for Cobb, it will have to take into account the following four factors: his contract, production, relationship with Amari Rodgers, and his leadership role on the team.

Cobb’s contract, financial finagling aside, currently counts as $9.5 million against the cap for next season, per Over the Cap. That is roughly 4.5% of the cap total, which is not ideal for a team that is already mired in cap hell. Last season was not as much of an issue with the Houston Texans taking a brunt of that cap figure, but next season may be a bit dicey.

But NFL front offices tend to have a way to work their black magic on whatever number constraints may be lying in front of them. Any contract issue would ostensibly be less of an obstacle than evaluating whether or not Cobb’s production is worth the effort to restructure.

Cobb only had 28 catches for 375 yards in the 2021-22 season. His five touchdowns were his highest since the 2015 season, but much of his value on the team was supposed to come as a valuable mentor to new draftee Amari Rodgers. Rodgers and Cobb’s relationship has been well-documented, and it was supposed to be the strong foundation of a successful rookie campaign.

Instead, Amari Rodgers crashed and burned. Many quickly rushed to his defense, suggesting that he still needs time. But the Packers could not afford to give anyone time to develop with the window to win the Super Bowl closing rapidly. It would be unfair to pin Rodgers’ failures on Cobb, but much of the hype surrounding the mentor/mentee pairing proved to be smoke and mirrors. The on-field result was not pretty.

It is well-known that Cobb is beloved in the community and by his peers. However, if certain other veterans on the team depart this offseason, it is fair to wonder whether or not it will be worth it for Cobb to stick around. He may be better off setting his sights towards ring chasing if the Packers find themselves in more of a rebuilding or retooling scenario.

However, it may not be a bad idea to hang on to Cobb for another year with the contract situations of many other receivers on the roster up in the air, regardless of his cap hit. Whoever winds up under center for Green Bay next season will have a veteran who can be relied upon in just about every way. That presence is hard to come by, and it has value that goes beyond the constraints of what’s written down on a spreadsheet.

The retention of Cobb is connected to many other team factors that are out of his control, but he could expect to suit up in Green Bay again next season. That appears to be the best option for all parties involved. Who knows what lies beyond 2022, but there is nothing to lose by keeping Cobb around for one more season.

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