Cobb bounced back to a degree from his abysmal 2015, but it was still a far cry from his 2012-2014 levels. Cobb averaged 7.3 YPT -- low even for a possession receiver -- and had only seven catches of 20-plus yards on 84 targets in the 13 games for which he suited up. At 5-10, 192, and with 4.46 40 speed, excellent quickness and sharp route running, Cobb is well suited to running short routes and being a safety valve for Aaron Rodgers. Once a frequent red-zone target, Cobb still saw some action there (14 looks in 13 games), but was a distant third on the Packers behind league-leader Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams. Cobb should reprise his role as slot receiver, but Adams' emergence and Nelson's return to health mean Cobb's likely third fiddle. In a Rodgers-led offense there are worse things to be, but Cobb's best days are behind him.
With Jordy Nelson out for the year, many assumed Randall Cobb would turn into Antonio Brown. But the opposite happened. Cobb actually saw the same number of targets as he had in 2014, but his per-play numbers plummeted – 14.1 YPC and 10.1 YPT in 2014 to 10.5 YPC and 6.4 YPT in 2015. Put differently, he went from being the league's second-most efficient receiver to it's third-least. At 5-10, 192, with a 4.46 40, Cobb is a speedy possession receiver who relies on quickness, route running and his rapport with Aaron Rodgers. But whether it was a lack of a reliable complementary target, the collapse of the running game or Rodgers' apparently gimpy knee, the two never got in sync. In fact, Cobb had only one 100-yard game, and that came in Week 2. With Nelson returning healthy this season, Cobb should reprise his role as second fiddle, and at 26, is still in the prime of his career. The Packers did next to nothing this offseason to address their receiver depth, (they signed tight end Jared Cook but let James Jones go), so Cobb's workload should be secure.
Had Cobb signed elsewhere this offseason, his name would be considerably farther down this list. Cobb's four-year deal with the Packers ensures he'll be one of Aaron Rodgers' top targets, making him the rare possession receiver with elite per-play efficiency and double-digit scoring potential. Cobb's 10.1 YPT placed him second among the league's 41 100-target receivers, thanks to his catching 72 percent of the passes thrown his way (2nd). Cobb tied for third in receptions of 20-plus yards (24) and finished fourth in red-zone targets with 27, only one fewer than teammate Jordy Nelson. For a smaller receiver, Cobb also saw plenty of work near the goal line with 13 inside-the-10 looks (5th) and seven from inside the five (T-4th). At 5-10, 192, Cobb's biggest assets are his speed (4.48 40), quickness and versatility — in addition to his 127 targets, both from the slot and occasionally on the outside, he also had 11 carries and returned 14 punts.
A broken right fibula essentially ended Cobb’s season after Week 5 (although he did return to catch two balls, both touchdowns, in Week 17 and had two more catches in the playoffs). Before the injury, he was as advertised, amassing 378 receiving yards and 78 more on the ground in four and a half games. Cobb also managed 14 yards per catch and 9.2 YPT, proving efficient as well as versatile. At 5-10, 192, Cobb’s main assets are his speed (4.46 40) and quickness, and the Packers take advantage of that by lining him up in different spots, handing him the ball on occasion and letting him return punts and kicks. While he’s not built for much red-zone work, he did see nine targets there during his shortened season, five of them from inside the 10, so he could score more touchdowns than the typical small receiver. That said, Cobb got those targets before rookie running back Eddie Lacy had gotten healthy and established himself, so the goal-line looks might not be as plentiful in 2014. Even so, Cobb is in a good situation as the team’s top possession receiver in an elite offense with Jordy Nelson the only established competition for targets.
While 2012 was the year of the big receiver, the 5-10, 192-pound Cobb had his breakout anyway.
Cobb was the only Packer to eclipse 100 targets, and he tacked on 10 rushes and 132 yards on the ground for good measure in just 15 games. While Cobb served mostly as a possession receiver, averaging less than 12 YPC, he managed 9.2 YPT (10th) thanks to a ridiculous 77-percent catch rate.
Cobb saw only eight red-zone targets last year (T-59th), and while he converted four for scores, it's likely he'll have to do most of his damage from long distance. Cobb did have 17 catches of 20-plus (T-11th), but zero of 40 or more, so we'd be surprised if he exceeded last year's eight TDs.
Cobb's running skills give him extra value, and he even returned a punt for a score last year, too. But as quick, shifty and dynamic as he is, Cobb's going to need a sizeable uptick in looks to hang with the big targets atop the receiver board. In Green Bay, where Aaron Rodgers rarely locks in on one player, the odds are against it.
At 5-10, 192, and with only average long speed, Cobb doesn’t profile as your typical receiving prospect, but he’s extremely quick, has good hands, runs good routes and is fearless going over the middle of the field. The Packers used him primarily as a return man last year, but he averaged a huge 12.1 YPT the 31 times they called his number. With Donald Driver now 37, Cobb could slot in as the team’s fourth receiver early on, and James Jones isn’t good enough to prevent Cobb from a bigger role should he merit it. Cobb also had 1,236 return yards and brought a punt and a kick back to the house – something to keep in mind if your league counts return yardage.
Taken with the 64th overall pick, Cobb likely slots as a kick returner/4th receiver this year. At 5-11, 186, and with only decent speed, Cobb doesn’t profile as a potential star, but he gets up to speed quickly, changes directions on a dime, is fearless going over the middle and runs good routes. He’s also versatile and can line up as a running back or even a Wildcat quarterback if need be. Green Bay’s offensive environment is also ideal, so Cobb could have value if anything were to happen to Jordy Nelson or the aging Donald Driver.
