Randall Cobb - Pro Football Rumors

Packers Activate WR Randall Cobb From IR

November 17th, 2022 at 3:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

Randall Cobb will make one of the quickest returns from IR possible. The Packers are following through with their rumored activation; the team announced the veteran wideout’s return to the active roster Thursday.

Placed on IR because of a high ankle sprain, Cobb missed the minimum four games and became eligible to return this week. The Packers designated him for return Tuesday. Despite the team having a Thursday-night game, Cobb is not going through a practice ramp-up period. He will be in uniform against the Titans.

This is the Packers’ fourth injury activation this season, giving them four left. The team’s Cobb move also represents its second receiver IR-return transaction this season. Sammy Watkins came off the injured list last month. Cobb and Watkins stand to help Green Bay’s cause against Tennessee, with a 4-6 start leaving the Packers little room for error down the stretch.

Thursday marks Cobb’s second IR-return transaction in his two seasons back with the Pack. A core muscle injury cost him time last season, but teams had unlimited IR activations from 2020-21, making such roster moves less important. The Packers have dealt with extensive receiver injury trouble this season; their top five targets have missed time. But the team is fairly healthy at the position for Week 11, with only rookie Romeo Doubs, who is also dealing with a high ankle sprain, out against Tennessee.

Cobb, 32, is on a better pace compared to 2021. The former Packers Day 2 draftee has 18 receptions for 257 yards this season. The slot player’s 42.6 yards per game are well north of his 2021 number (31.3). Of course, the Packers trading Davante Adams and losing Marquez Valdes-Scantling in free agency freed up some targets. The Packers will see if their Cobb-Watkins-Allen Lazard–Christian Watson quartet can generate some consistency at what has been one of the NFL’s more inconsistent positions this season.

Packers Designate Randall Cobb For Return

November 17th, 2022 at 9:37am CST by Sam Robinson

NOVEMBER 17: Green Bay is expected to activate Cobb off IR in time for Thursday night’s game, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (video link). Initially feared to have suffered a season-ending injury, Cobb is now looking set to return after missing just four games.

NOVEMBER 15: The Packers’ shorthanded receiving corps received a breakthrough performance from Christian Watson in Week 10, helping the team upset the Cowboys. Green Bay may have another weapon available soon.

Randall Cobb returned to practice Tuesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. While expecting the veteran to return off IR in time for Thursday’s game against the Titans might be a tough ask, the veteran is eligible to do so. The Packers have three weeks to activate Cobb, who has gone through a midseason IR stay for the second straight year.

A high ankle sprain has sidelined Cobb, 32, this season. The 12th-year wideout was feared to have suffered a broken ankle, but additional testing confirmed a less severe injury. With the subsequent exams opening the door to Cobb coming back, this stands to bolster a Packers passing game that has seen all of its key principals miss time this season.

Romeo Doubs is currently out due to a high ankle sprain; the rookie remains on Green Bay’s 53-man roster. The Packers already used one of their injury activations on Sammy Watkins, who went on IR early this season. The team waived 2021 third-round pick Amari Rodgers earlier Tuesday. Watson and Allen Lazard have also missed time, though neither has gone on IR. The Packers have five injury activations remaining.

Plagued by injuries and inconsistency throughout his first year with the Packers, Watson emerged for a three-touchdown game — Green Bay’s first rookie-year game featuring three receiving TDs since Hall of Famer James Lofton accomplished the feat in 1978 — to lift the team past the Cowboys. Lazard and Watson figure to be the Packers’ lead contributors against the Titans. Watkins and Cobb profile as auxiliary targets at this point.

Brought back via trade at Aaron Rodgers‘ request late last summer, Cobb missed five games in 2021 because of a core muscle injury. Prior to going on IR this year, Cobb caught 18 passes for 257 yards. Cobb, 32, can move past Max McGee into the top 10 in all-time Packers receiving yardage with 190 more this season. Cobb’s Texans-constructed, Packers-altered contract expires in March.

Packers Activate WR Sammy Watkins, Place WR Randall Cobb On IR

October 22nd, 2022 at 2:06pm CST by Ely Allen

It’s one in, one out for the Packers receiving corps. Just as Green Bay is able to activate veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins off of injured reserve, the team has to place its other veteran, Randall Cobb, on IR, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The shuffle continues what has been a struggle for quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense.

Watkins was placed on the reserve list only two weeks into the season in order to deal with hamstring injuries. It was early in the season, but, after a 93-yard day against the Bears, Watkins was looking like a dangerous target for Rodgers. Through two games this season, Watkins was already on pace to have his best season since his early days in Buffalo. Rodgers should feel a bit of relief getting one of his favorite targets from early in the season back.

Cobb stepped up when Watkins went down and became the Packers’ second-leading receiver behind Allen Lazard. Just as Watkins is ready to return, though, Cobb will take his turn on IR. There was a bit of silver-lining reported yesterday as Cobb’s injury was determined not to be a broken ankle, as was initially feared, but a high ankle sprain that will keep him out for an expected “two to six weeks,” as opposed to the initial diagnosis of a season-ending injury.

With Cobb out and rookie second-round pick Christian Watson also dealing with hamstring issues, the Packers will look forward to getting Watkins back in the lineup, but they’ll likely be cautious with his return. Watkins is listed as questionable going into Sunday’s game in Landover, and he will likely have limited participation against the Commanders. Lazard and rookie fourth-round pick Romeo Doubs will be the main targets alongside Watkins with return specialist Amari Rodgers and rookie seventh-round pick Samori Toure filling in where needed.

In a couple other moves leading in the Week 7 slate, the Packers also placed offensive lineman Jake Hanson on IR and promoted outside linebacker La’Darius Hamilton as a gameday elevation.

Injury Updates: Cobb, Wilson, Waletzko, Leonard

October 21st, 2022 at 8:59pm CST by Ely Allen

The Packers and veteran wide receiver Randall Cobb were granted a silver-lining after hearing that what was feared to be a season-ending broken ankle was potentially a high ankle sprain that would require several weeks of recovery. The diagnosis of a high ankle sprain was confirmed, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN, and Cobb told reporters that he “expects to return in two to six weeks,” a much more optimistic timeline than what was initially feared.

Green Bay had lost another veteran receiver when Sammy Watkins was placed on injured reserve back in September. Watkins was the team’s leading receiver at the time and now the Packers will lose their second-leading receiver as Cobb is being considered for an IR stint. With no Cobb and Watkins, and with rookie receiver Christian Watson also ailing, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has only Allen Lazard, Romeo Doubs, Amari Rodgers, and Samori Toure as targets out wide. Head coach Matt LaFleur did express some optimism that Watkins could be working his way towards a return soon, though.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the league:

After he suffered a hamstring injury in their game against the Chargers, Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett announced that quarterback Russell Wilson will be a gametime decision this week against the Jets, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. The 11th-year veteran has struggled to lead Denver to the endzone this year but still represents the team’s best chance to win by far. If Wilson is unable to suit up this week, third-year backup Brett Rypien is the next name on the depth chart. Rypien has one start on his record from his rookie season. In his starting debut from 2020, Rypien led the Broncos to a win over the Jets, completing 19 of 31 attempted passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing three interceptions.
The Cowboys lost rookie fifth-round pick Matt Waletzko after only three weeks as the backup offensive lineman’s lingering left shoulder issues continued to trouble him. Waletzko knew that surgery was an inevitable outcome but delayed the procedure in an attempt to become a contributor in his rookie season, but, after three subluxations, his first year will come to an end, according to Michael Gehlken of The Dallas Morning News. Waletzko had played in all of the team’s first three games, mostly serving on special teams units and earning one offensive snap in the team’s Week 3 win over the Giants. Dallas doesn’t have a ton of depth behind the starters on the offensive line, but backups Josh Ball, Jason Peters, and Matt Farniok provide some versatility that allow them to fill in most empty spots in the lineup.
Colts star linebacker Shaquille Leonard cleared concussion protocol today, according to Mike Chappell of FOX59/CBS4 Sports, but the team will still hold him out against the Titans this week. In addition to the concussion, Leonard is listed with a nose injury, which he recently had surgery on, according to Zak Keefer of The Athletic. Fourth-year linebacker E.J. Speed will continue to start in Leonard’s place as he works his way back to the field.

Packers WR Randall Cobb Facing Extended Absence

October 18th, 2022 at 8:35am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 18: Cobb is likely to be sidelined for several weeks, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed on Monday. As ESPN’s Rob Demovsky notes, an IR stint is in consideration; that would keep the veteran out for at least four weeks. In more positive injury news at the position, LaFleur expressed optimism that the Packers could open Watkins’ IR return window this week.

OCTOBER 17: The offensive struggles continued for the Packers during yesterday’s loss to the Jets, and the unit lost another pass-catcher in the process. Wideout Randall Cobb was carted off the field with what he initially feared would be a season-ending injury. That appears to not be the case, though the veteran is likely to be sidelined for an extended period.

Cobb did not suffer a broken ankle, but rather a potential high ankle sprain, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). That would allow him to return at some point in the season, but the news still represents another blow for Green Bay’s WR corps.

Fellow veteran Sammy Watkins has been out since Week 2 due to a hamstring injury. That same ailment has also cost second-round rookie Christian Watson a pair of games to date, as the Packers look to find chemistry at a position featuring several new faces. The departures of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the offseason left the team with their current assemblage of pass-catchers.

As a whole, the unit sits 18th in the league at 246 yards per game through the air. The offense’s overall struggles (17.8 points per game, 24th in the NFL), though, have been attributed in no small part to an inconsistent passing game. Cobb ranks second on the team with 257 receiving yards this season – including a seven-catch, 99-yard performance in Week 5.

The 32-year-old dealt with a core injury last season, the first of his second stint in Green Bay. That limited him t0 12 games in 2021, though his five touchdowns demonstrated his potential continued value to the team (especially given the inexperience of the receiver room) in the latter stages of his career. Cobb, a free agent at the end of the season, will look to rehab in time to make a return to the field, as Green Bay moves forward with an even more shorthanded WR room.

WR Notes: Packers, Brown, Agholor, Bucs

August 19th, 2022 at 9:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Packers have had a more eventful offseason than nearly every other team in the league. One of the results of their moves is a decided lack of proven commodities at the receiver position, something which sparked quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ recent comments about the improvement which needs to be made amongst some of their new pass-catchers.

[RELATED: Packers Claim WR Fulgham]

“The young guys, especially young receivers, we’ve got to be way more consistent,” the reigning MVP said, via PFF’s Doug Kyed. “A lot of drops, a lot of bad route decisions, running the wrong route. We’ve got to get better in that area.”

Per Kyed, Rodgers has stated they he wants Allen Lazard to operate as the “top option,” something which doesn’t come as much of a surprise given his NFL resume. Rodgers’ preference would be for Lazard to be joined as a starter by veterans Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb – a trio which would include, by far, the most experience available. However, rookies Romeo Doubs (who has seen first-team reps) and Christian Watson (whom the Packers traded up to select in the second round) could unseat Watkins and/or Cobb, leaving the team with more upside – but less certainty – at an important position as they look to contend for a Super Bowl.

Here are some more WR notes from around the league:

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked about the possibility of signing Antonio Brown yesterday. The former All-Pro hasn’t generated much interest since his colorful exit from the Buccaneers in the middle of a game last season, but would add experience to a banged-up Dallas receiver room. Instead, Jones replied “we want to give these young guys a real chance to make this team” (Twitter link via Jon Machota of The Athletic). A number of inexperienced wideouts are competing for depth spots behind the likes of CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, James Washington and Jalen Tolbert, and will be allowed to continue doing so for the remainder of the preseason.
Kyed tweets that one of the surprise omissions from the Patriots’ depth chart, according to some, could be Nelson Agholor. However, he notes that cutting him would not be financially viable (doing so would incur a dead cap charge of $10MM), and adds that teams which could be interested in trading for him are not willing to do so at his current salary of $9MM. More to the point, the team’s new offense could allow the 29-year-old to enjoy a bounceback season from the underwhelming 37-473-3 statline he produced last year.
The Buccaneers are set at the top of their depth chart, but also have a number of intriguing wideouts competing for rotational roles. As a result, veterans like Scotty Miller, Cyril Grayson and Breshad Perriman could find themselves on the roster bubble. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes that a trio of UDFAs – Jerreth Sterns, Deven Thompkins and Kaylon Geiger – have stood out in camp so far, to the point where head coach Todd Bowles said “those guys are making a case” for spots on the 53-man roster. Several noteworthy cuts will be made in Tampa by the end of August, but who will be among them remains very much up in the air.

Packers WR Randall Cobb Takes Pay Cut

March 16th, 2022 at 7:52pm CST by Ben Levine

While it remains to be seen whether Davante Adams will be back in Green Bay, at least one of Aaron Rodgers‘ favorite targets will be sticking around. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (via Twitter) that wideout Randall Cobb took a sizable salary cut to stay with the Packers.

Specifically, Cobb sacrificed $5.5MM to stay in Green Bay. The veteran wideout was set to earn $8.5MM in total salary in 2022, and that number will now drop to $3MM.

Cobb returned to the Packers in 2021 and settled into a secondary role on offense. He ended up finishing the campaign with a career-low 376 yards from scrimmage, but his five touchdowns were the most he’s had since 2015.

Besides one-year stints with the Cowboys and Texans, Cobb had otherwise spent his entire career in Green Bay. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2014, and he’s sixth on the team’s all-time list in receptions (498).

Packers Activate Randall Cobb From IR

January 20th, 2022 at 3:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Randall Cobb is back on the Packers’ active roster. Green Bay used the full three-week ramp-up period to prepare its slot receiver for the playoffs, and Cobb is officially off IR.

The 11th-year veteran suffered a core muscle injury suffered while catching a touchdown pass against the Rams in November. The injury required surgery, but Cobb made a quicker-than-expected return to practice. After coming back to practice Dec. 30, Cobb is on track to play against the 49ers on Saturday.

While Cobb has played many playoff games as a Packer, has not suited up for a postseason contest since the 2016 NFC championship game. The Packers let Cobb walk in free agency after the 2018 season, and after one-year stints with the Cowboys and Texans, he returned to Green Bay via late-summer trade at Aaron Rodgers‘ request.

Cobb, 31, proved a key weapon in certain spots for Rodgers this season. During a Week 8 win over the then-unbeaten Cardinals, a game that featured Green Bay’s top wideouts shelved on the reserve/COVID-19 list, he caught two touchdown passes. Cobb also caught two TD passes against the Steelers earlier this year. The Rams TD catch was his fifth, but it ended up costing him extensive time. Cobb ended the regular season with 28 receptions for 375 yards and five TDs, amassing these totals in 12 games.

The Pack are expected to have a host of injured players back when they return to action. David Bakhtiari played against the Lions in a meaningless Week 18 game, and fellow Pro Bowlers Jaire Alexander and Za’Darius Smith have joined Cobb in ramping up for the playoffs. Center Josh Myers also played against the Lions, after a two-plus-month absence, and right tackle Billy Turner returned to practice last week. Marquez Valdes-Scantling, however, is not expected to play against San Francisco. A back injury has the veteran deep threat doubtful.

Latest On Packers’ Injured Players

January 7th, 2022 at 2:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite many of their top players not seeing much action this season, the Packers secured the NFC’s No. 1 seed for a second straight year. Green Bay’s injured players have additional time to prepare for the playoffs, thanks to the first-round bye, and some are rounding into form.

David Bakhtiari has not played since suffering an ACL tear during practice on New Year’s Eve 2020. However, the All-Pro left tackle practiced fully for the first time this season Friday. He is questionable for Sunday’s game in Detroit. Matt LaFleur said the ninth-year veteran blocker looked “really good” in practice this week, and although the third-year HC will not commit to playing him Sunday, a return for the Packers’ first playoff game should now be expected (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky).

Out since suffering a shoulder injury in Week 4, Jaire Alexander is ramping up after being activated from IR recently. LaFleur said the Pro Bowl cornerback will not play in Week 18. Alexander returned from the reserve/COVID-19 list Friday, and the lack of practice time this week led to LaFleur’s decision to keep him on ice another week. Signs point to Alexander returning for Green Bay’s first playoff game.

Center Josh Myers will return against the Lions, LaFleur said. The Packers officially activated Myers from IR, and he has no injury designation going into Sunday’s game. The second-round rookie has been out since suffering a knee injury on the first drive of the Packers’ Week 6 game.

Lucas Patrick has taken over at center and is in line to keep that first-string gig this week, but LaFleur is not ruling out Myers returning as a starter in the playoffs, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. A scenario in which both are in the team’s starting lineup will almost certainly be in play.

Although the team designated Randall Cobb for return last week, the veteran slot receiver will not come back against the Lions. This adds up, with Cobb’s core injury requiring several weeks’ worth of rehab. Cobb is tracking toward a playoff return, Demovsky tweets. Regarding Aaron Rodgers‘ status for the Detroit rematch, he will start. LaFleur did not necessarily plan to start the MVP favorite, indicating he does not believe Rodgers needs to play Sunday. But the QB prefers to start, Silverstein tweets.

Packers’ Randall Cobb Returns To Practice

December 30th, 2021 at 12:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Randall Cobb might not be out for the regular season’s remainder. Despite undergoing core surgery earlier this month, Cobb is back at Packers practice Thursday, Matt Schneidman of The Athletic tweets.

After going on IR, the 11th-year wide receiver has missed the minimum three games. Cobb’s availability for the rest of the season was in doubt, so a quick practice return is a great sign for his availability going forward.

This is interesting considering Matt LaFleur called Cobb’s injury “pretty significant” just three weeks ago. Cobb’s surgery features roughly an eight-week recovery timetable, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Even a return for a divisional-round game would represent a swift rehab effort. Because Cobb came back to practice Thursday, he must be activated ahead of a divisional-round contest. Otherwise, he reverts to season-ending IR.

While Aaron Rodgers has once again relied on Davante Adams, Cobb has delivered in spots in his second Green Bay stint. He caught two touchdown passes against the Steelers and Cardinals, respectively, being a vital presence in the latter contest that featured the rest of Green Bay’s top receivers out due to COVID-19 protocols. In Cobb’s most recent outing, against the Rams, he caught four passes for 95 yards and a touchdown.

This season, Cobb has 28 receptions for 395 yards and five touchdowns. He would stand to be a key weapon for a Packers team alongside Adams, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Allen Lazard come playoff time.