Back in July, when training camp first got underway, Packers receiver Randall Cobb addressed the subject of a possible contract extension, telling reporters that he didn’t believe he’d done enough to warrant a long-term deal yet. Nearly five months later, Cobb and Packers don’t appear to be any closer to an agreement, with the wideout indicating today that little to no progress had been made, writes Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.
“There’s no contract talks that have been going on right now, so I guess not,” Cobb said, referring to the fact that perhaps he still hasn’t done enough to warrant a significant offer. “I guess there’s still more to do. So, just continue to put my nose down every day and focus on getting the team into the playoffs and doing everything I can to bring back the Super Bowl.”
Although Cobb admits that he can’t help but think about his contract situation, he certainly hasn’t let it adversely affect his play on the field. The 24-year-old has racked up a career-high 1,076 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns on 76 receptions, and – most importantly – he and MVP candidate Aaron Rodgers have both stayed on the field all year, unlike in 2013, when both players were sidelined for a good portion of the season with injuries.
The Packers and Cobb are still viewed as likely to work something out, but there’s no guarantee that it will happen soon. A year ago, the team went down to the wire with cornerback Sam Shields, reaching a long-term deal with the free-agent-to-be just days before he was eligible to hit the open market.
For Cobb, the years and dollars in any Packers’ offer will be interesting to monitor — the former second-round pick is already putting up No. 1 receiver type numbers and is young enough that he could continue to improve, but his lofty stats are inflated somewhat by the man throwing Cobb the ball. Additionally, Green Bay will likely want to ensure Cobb isn’t getting paid more than the team’s actual No. 1 receiver, Jordy Nelson, who has topped Cobb’s 2014 totals in receptions (83), yards (1,320), and TDs (12) and signed a four-year, $39MM pact earlier this year.
The Nelson/Cobb pairing is somewhat reminiscent of Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker in 2013 in Denver, and a deal similar to the one Decker signed in free agency (five years, $35MM) might make sense for the Packers’ No. 2 receiver. Our Dallas Robinson took a more detailed look at Cobb’s extension candidacy back in October.