WR Randall Cobb Open to In-Season Negotiation with the Packers

Cobb tells Cheesehead TV, "I think they could have conversations right now."

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb by Brace Hemmelgarn—USA TODAY Sports.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb by Brace Hemmelgarn—USA TODAY Sports.

GREEN BAY—The expiration of Randall Cobb's contract with the Green Bay Packers is coming at the end of the 2014 season.

But even though the up-and-coming wide receiver has the opportunity to test free agency in just a few months time, he isn't playing hard ball with the Packers.

Cobb told Cheesehead TV that he and his agent are not necessarily waiting until after the season to negotiate parameters of a contract extension.

"I think that they could have conversations right now," said Cobb. "That's on them. That's the business side. He can handle all that.

"I've told him, hopefully things work out for the best, and I would love to stay here next year and be a part of this organization. But it's a business, and I understand that, and it works both ways. At the end of the day, (I) just have to make the decision that I feel is best for me, and the team is going make the decision that they feel is best for the team."

Coming off an injury-plagued 2013 season in which he missed 10 games with a broken leg, Cobb has come back to be one of the most productive receivers in the NFL in 2014.

Cobb is currently tied for the league lead for receiving touchdowns among players at his position with 10, neck and neck with Dez Bryant of the Dallas Cowboys. To date, Cobb has 58 receptions for 837 yards.

Tracking his performance strictly when he lines up as a slot receiver, ProFootballFocus.com credits Cobb as the league leader in routes (341), targets (71), receptions (52), yards (729), yard per route run and touchdowns (all 10 coming from the slot).

What Cobb has been able to do this season is all the more remarkable, given that he has to share the football with another pretty good wide receiver in Jordy Nelson, along with Eddie Lacy and the rest of the Packers skill-position players.

Part of Cobb's success can be attributed to Aaron Rodgers, one of the league's best quarterbacks, and responsible for putting the football in his receiver's hands.

After watching former teammates and fellow wide receivers Greg Jennings and James Jones walk away in free agency in each of the past two seasons, Cobb has to weigh the impact of playing with Rodgers versus leaving to sign with another team.

"I think having Aaron as a teammate as a friend and being able to grow that relationship with him over the last few years is great," said Cobb. "And that's somebody that I put a lot of trust in, and I feel he believes in me, and we've been able to have that connection on the field."

At just 24 years old, Cobb is presumably still entering the prime of his career and could have several productive seasons playing side by side with Rodgers and Nelson, both of whom are under contract through at least 2018.

Whether the Packers want to sign Cobb to an in-season extension is a decision out of the wide receiver's hands.

The roughly $8 million in salary-cap space the Packers currently have (according to OvertheCap.com) isn't going anywhere. They'll be able to carry that space over to the 2015 cap, so maybe it's in their best interest to wait until the season is over to see if not only Cobb, but all their upcoming free agents, stay healthy.

Whenever Cobb signs on the dotted line, however, it's very likely to be with the Packers. The Packers, under general manager Ted Thompson, simply don't let talented young players receiving their first opportunity to test free agency to leave the organization.

NFL Categories: 
0 points
 

Comments (13)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
zeke's picture

November 26, 2014 at 11:53 am

I, too, am open to in-season negotiations with Randall Cobb. Coincidence? I think not.

0 points
0
0
TKWorldWide's picture

November 26, 2014 at 12:33 pm

Well played, sir.

0 points
0
0
Point-Packer's picture

November 26, 2014 at 12:46 pm

Cobb isn't going anywhere. No way. No chance.

Speaking of, how irrelevant is Greg Jennings? How's that acting career coming along? Commercials?

0 points
0
0
jeremyjjbrown's picture

November 26, 2014 at 03:07 pm

Greg Jennings is the #1 reason Cobb needs to also think about his third contract, not just his second. Leaving now puts that at additional risk.

0 points
0
0
HankScorpio's picture

November 26, 2014 at 05:37 pm

Plenty of examples besides Greg Jennings on what playing with a great QB or without a great QB can do to a WR's production.

I hope Cobb understands that. He stopped short of recognition that playing with a QB like Rodgers is a contract perk that most other teams simply cannot offer. The teams that can offer such a perk, probably are not in the market for a big $$ FA WR.

0 points
0
0
RCPackerFan's picture

November 26, 2014 at 02:33 pm

Thank you for adding back the Recent Comments section.

Is there anyway to add it to the homepage?

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

November 26, 2014 at 03:01 pm

Cobb will have a huge game. Rodgers will cement the MVP award by winning this game. This game is huge and he is relaxed.

0 points
0
0
Tom Legener's picture

November 27, 2014 at 10:02 am

Cow, you've become a stereotypical troll. You pretend to have green and gold flowing through your veins, yet every team they play is obviously superior. It's called "Concern Trolling", and I like many others on this site will be glad when they win that 9th game and you are silenced for the year.

0 points
0
0
aj's picture

November 26, 2014 at 04:49 pm

I could see Cobb being worth a 5yr./40-45 contract with about 10-16 guaranteed.

0 points
0
0
HankScorpio's picture

November 26, 2014 at 05:40 pm

The cap is expected to jump pretty big once again. I would not be surprised to see roughly those $ terms but only 4 years. It may seem a tad high now but it won't in 2 years, IMO.

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

November 26, 2014 at 11:40 pm

R-E-L-A-X. Packers will blow NE off the field and become SB favorites.

0 points
0
0
Thegreatreynoldo's picture

November 27, 2014 at 01:32 am

" They'll be able to carry that space over to the 2015 cap, so maybe it's in their best interest to wait until the season is over to see if not only Cobb, but all their upcoming free agents, stay healthy."

Conversely, all players should realize that there is a benefit to cashing that $10+ million signing bonus check before they suffer an injury, even if the risk is only for the next 5 games (plus postseason games).

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

November 27, 2014 at 11:19 am

Happy TG everyone. Thankful for my family and the Packers , best sports franchise period.
GOPACKGO!

0 points
0
0