Green Bay Packers: What Happens if Randall Cobb Leaves?

By Evan Massey | Mar 2, 2015

What will the Green Bay Packers do if they lose star wide receiver Randall Cobb in free agency this offseason?

The Green Bay Packers are entering a very difficult offseason, and there is a chance that they will lose star wide receiver Randall Cobb in free agency. That would be a devastating blow for the Packers’ offense, especially after the big season that the 24-year-old receiver put together in 2014.

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During the 2014 season, Cobb ended up catching 91 passes for 1,287 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those numbers were impressive to say the least, and he continued developing even better chemistry with superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers throughout the season. His speed and ability to make plays in the open field are a perfect complement alongside of Jordy Nelson, and that would be missed in a big way if he does head elsewhere.

So the question the becomes, what would the Packers do next if Cobb did leave this offseason in free agency?

First of all, Davante Adams came up huge for the Packers late in the season and in the playoffs during his rookie season. He would immediately see his role jump to being Green Bay’s number two wide receiver, which is a role that he would be more than comfortable with. Rodgers and Adams already looked like they were developing solid chemistry throughout the season, and Adams is a very similar type of player to Cobb.

Adams ended up recording 446 yards and three touchdowns on 38 receptions throughout the regular season. He also caught eight passes for 124 yards and a touchdown in the two playoff games that the Packers played.

Green Bay’s coaching staff has also been very high on 6’3″ wide receiver Jeff Janis, who was also a rookie during the 2014 season. He didn’t play much, but did catch two passes for 16 yards on the two passes that were thrown his way. Janis is a speedy receiver that loves to make plays over the middle, and has the same type of playmaking ability in the open field that Cobb did.

There is also a good chance that the Packers would sign another wide receiver in free agency if they don’t retain Cobb. Perhaps the perfect fit for Green Bay would be Percy Harvin, assuming the New York Jets do end up cutting him. It is unknown how much money it would take to sign him, but he is coming off of a down season that was split between the Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets.

Harvin is 26 years old, and has all of the potential in the world to be a star wide receiver. He caught 51 passes for 483 yards and a touchdown last year, and could be had at a bargain price this offseason. The Packers would be wise to pick him up to help replace Cobb, and they might actually be signing a star wide receiver if they did make that move.

When everything is said and done, the Packers are going to be just fine whether Cobb stays or leaves. They will still have a very talented roster and the best quarterback in the league.

If Cobb does end up signing elsewhere, then the Packers are going to have a lot more money to work with in free agency. There are upgrades that they need to make defensively, and there are also other talented receivers on the market. Green Bay doesn’t need to panic if Cobb doesn’t come back, and their offense will find a way to be just as potent next year.

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