As Green Bay awaits yet again for quarterback Aaron Rodgers to determine his future, there are plenty of other monster decisions looming over the front office this offseason. Chief among them is what to do with their wide receiver corps. Considering their lack of depth, the easy answer is to bring back wide receivers like Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. However, it may be in Green Bay’s best interest to move on.
If Rodgers returns to Green Bay, the front office could opt to appease its franchise leader by re-signing his buddies. A better case could be made not to do that, though — even if No. 12 does return.
Lazard is coming off a solid season with 60 catches for 788 yards and six touchdowns. The first two are career-high marks. The issue is that once the Packers moved on from Davante Adams via trade and Marquez Valdes-Scantling via free agency, the idea was for Lazard to be the No. 1 guy.
The numbers Lazard posted are more than fine but are not that of a No. 1 wide receiver. Many believe Lazard is in the market for a deal for around three to four years with an annual value of $11 million. Have you looked at Green Bay’s salary cap situation?
There will need to be plenty of dominoes that have to fall for the Packers to wiggle free space this spring and summer, and they started that by restructuring running back Aaron Jones‘ contract.
Lazard in the general range of $11 million per year isn’t an outlandish ask, but it could prove to be too pretty of a penny for Green Bay to pony up and sit down at the table. Still, the familiarity Lazard has with head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense and his reliability with his durability (four games missed total last two years) are reasons to bring Lazard back into the mix.
Financially, it makes more sense for the Packers to build up the position through the draft, instead of forking over $11 million annually to what could amount to be their No. 3 wide receiver, depending on your thoughts towards Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs.
Then there’s Cobb.
Cobb missed five games in 2021, his first back in Green Bay since 2018. He missed four games in 2022 as health has become an issue for the aging veteran.
Rodgers and Cobb were a heck of a duo at one time, but that time shined brightest from 2012 to 2016. Cobb is a great locker room presence, and it’s evident that players respect him and what he brings to the table. Unfortunately, this all becomes part of “the business” as they say, when teams have to make tough decisions.
If you’re going for production alone, Cobb has only 62 catches for six touchdowns in the last two seasons. He still has some gas left in the tank, but how much?
The idea of bringing back Lazard and Cobb might be more welcomed if the Packers were knocking on the door of another contending season with aspirations of a Super Bowl.
That isn’t the case.
This group went 8-9, losing to the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field in Week 18 to be eliminated from postseason contention. So how will it be THAT much better in 2023, given the salary cap hell that they are engulfed in?
More so than Lazard, Cobb is a player a team should be bringing in to add a little punch to an offense ready to win the Lombardi Trophy — not a team hanging out in purgatory that is just trying to coddle its starting quarterback.
It’s not a bad idea for the Packers to bring Lazard back. He’s productive, only 27 years old, and reliable. He’s also one of the best blocking wide receivers in the NFL, which is huge in LaFleur’s ideal offense.
The issue stems from the dollar amount he’ll likely command and how Green Bay wants to spend the few dollars they may be able to wring out of their budget. The suggested or assumed price for Lazard isn’t the best way for the Packers to spend on a No. 3 wideout when there are clearly other needs.
Green Bay is not in an ideal spot this offseason. Its quarterback has yet to decide his future and the organization will then have to ask itself whether or not they want to move on to quarterback Jordan Love.
After that, they should restructure plenty of contracts and push money off into the future. The needs at safety, tight end, depth at outside linebacker are all glaring. All of this for a team that finished below .500 and has a quarterback with a guaranteed salary a hair below $60 million if he opts to return.
It’s a tough pill to swallow, but the reality is that moving on from Cobb and Lazard is in the best interest of the Packers, given the finances.
