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Randall Cobb

Extra Points: Cobb, Pouncey, Okung

August 29th, 2015 at 9:27pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A week after losing Pro Bowl receiver Jordy Nelson to a season-ending ACL injury, the Packers are hoping fellow Pro Bowl wideout Randall Cobb doesn’t join him on the shelf. Cobb suffered a right shoulder injury during the Packers’ game Saturday against Philadelphia. The severity of the ailment is currently unknown, but one injury that has been ruled out is a broken collarbone, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweeted. A serious injury to Cobb would be a devastating blow to the Packers, given that their receiving corps already lost Nelson. He and Cobb combined for a whopping 189 catches (25 of which were touchdowns) and nearly 3,000 yards last year.

More from around the NFL:

  • Dolphins center Mike Pouncey hurt his left knee during Saturday’s game against Atlanta and will have to undergo an MRI on Sunday. Pouncey, who is wearing a brace, vows not to miss any regular-season time, Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports (Twitter link). Head coach Joe Philbin also expressed optimism regarding Pouncey’s injury. “We think he’ll be OK,” he said, per Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).
  • Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung will probably use the five-year, $66MM extension Washington signed Trent Williams to earlier today as a benchmark for his next deal, according to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry (via Twitter). Okung, who’s in a contract year, was the sixth overall selection in the 2010 draft, going two picks after Williams. Okung has since made 59 starts and one Pro Bowl, while Williams has made 70 and three, respectively.
  • Don’t count on a reunion between the Giants and free agent safety Stevie Brown, writes Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News. The Giants are scheduled to work out Brown, but he has interest from “a number of teams,” according to his agent. Brown spent 2012-14 with the Giants before a brief stint in Houston this year.
  • The Colts scratched running back Vick Ballard from Saturday’s game in St. Louis. That doesn’t bode well for his chances of making the roster, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. Ballard has battled serious injuries over the past couple years and has played in just one game since 2012 as a result.
  • Lions running back Joique Bell, who underwent knee surgery in January, is unsure if he’ll play Week 1. “I’m not going to say I’m ready to go out there and take every play and run every down, right now, but you never know how I’ll feel in two weeks,” Bell said, according to Justin Rogers of MLive.com. The fourth-year man is coming off his most productive season (1,182 total yards, eight touchdowns).
  • Patriots fullback James Develin suffered a broken tibia in Friday’s loss to Carolina, and ESPN’s Mike Reiss tweeted that the hope is recovery from surgery will take six to eight weeks. However, David Chao – the former team doctor for the Chargers – responded that it could actually take Develin six to eight months to return (Twitter link).

NFC Notes: Newton, Jordan, Cards, Bears

June 3rd, 2015 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on the details we passed along earlier today on Cam Newton‘s and Cameron Jordan‘s new extensions, we have another pair of notes. Joel Corry of CBSSports.com clarifies (via Twitter) that while Newton’s $10MM option bonus isn’t technically guaranteed at the time of the signing, it’s practically guaranteed, since there’s essentially no chance the Panthers will cut the quarterback before picking it up. Meanwhile, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that Jordan received a significant signing bonus, worth $16MM, from the Saints.

Here are a few more items from across the NFC:

  • The Cardinals signed defensive lineman Frostee Rucker to a one-year extension earlier this week, and Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com identifies three more defensive players who could be next in line for new deals. Weinfuss’ list includes safety Rashad Johnson, defensive back Justin Bethel, and cornerback Jerraud Powers.
  • Asked about whether he expects Martellus Bennett to attend the Bears‘ June minicamp, head coach John Fox said he “can’t predict” the tight end’s intentions, as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune writes. Bennett, who wants a new contract, has been absent from the team’s OTAs.
  • Having signed a $40MM deal to remain with the Packers this offseason, wideout Randall Cobb vows the new contract won’t change his approach or create added pressure, per Jason Wilde of ESPNWisconsin.com.
  • According to an incident report obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, former Falcons linebacker Prince Shembo admitted to kicking his girlfriend’s dog and considered fleeing the country after the animal’s death. The AJC’s Tyler Estep has the details.

Jaguars GM On Murray, Cobb, Hardy

March 11th, 2015 at 1:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Jaguars GM David Caldwell told reporters, including John Oehser of Jaguars.com (on Twitter), that his work is not done in free agency. However, he says there’s not a whole lot brewing on star running back DeMarco Murray. Here’s more from today’s presser..

  • Caldwell said that he had a brief conversation with Murray’s agent last night and he also talked with the team’s finance people, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Caldwell says he wanted a slot wide receiver and targeted Packers star Randall Cobb, DiRocco tweets. He’ll only sign one going forward if the right situation presents himself. Of course, he’s not going to find another slot wide receiver as good as Cobb.
  • Caldwell wouldn’t close the door on signing Greg Hardy, DiRocco tweets. The GM explained that he would have to do his research on the troubled star. His philosophy is that if a guy shows remorse for his actions, they can give him a second chance.
  • Caldwell said Jared Odrick‘s versatility was key to his signing, Oehser tweets. Interestingly, Caldwell referred to Odrick, who previously lined up as a defensive tackle, as a defensive end. Odrick’s deal will see him earn $8.5MM per season with $22MM guaranteed overall.
  • When asked about tight end Marcedes Lewis‘ future with Jacksonville, Caldwell said “he’ll have to compete to be here,” DiRocco tweets. Lewis, 31 in May, played in only eight games last season after suffering a high ankle sprain in September. His IR-DTR status allowed him to return later in the year.
  • Caldwell said (via Oehser on Twitter) that the team had five initial targets and wound up landing three of them. Free agency might not have been a home run, he says, but he said it was probably more like hitting a double. The GM added that the Jags “probably haven’t” spent as much as he expected, according to Ryan O’Halloran of The Florida Times-Union (via Twitter).
  • Caldwell explained there has been no decision yet on Red Bryant, DiRocco tweets.

Contract Details: Suh, Cobb, Jackson, Graham

March 10th, 2015 at 12:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Here’s a round-up of a few notable details on new contracts from around the NFL:

  • Ndamukong Suh, DT (Dolphins); $60MM guarantee is fully guaranteed at signing (Twitter link via Pro Football Talk).
  • Randall Cobb, WR (Packers): Four years, $40MM base value. $13MM signing bonus. $3.5MM roster bonus in March 2016, $5.35MM cap hit for 2015 (Twitter links via Joel Corry of CBSSports.com).
  • Kareem Jackson, CB (Texans): Four years, $34MM base value. $9MM signing bonus. $4MM roster bonus due this weekend (Twitter link via Corry).
  • Brandon Graham, OLB (Eagles): Four years, $26MM base value. $4MM signing bonus. $14MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun).
  • Cary Williams, CB (Seahawks): Three years, $18MM base value. $3.5MM signing bonus. $7MM guaranteed (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Mark Sanchez, QB (Eagles): Two years, $9MM. $2MM signing bonus. $5.5MM guaranteed. Escalators for playing time, playoffs (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Ryan Mallett, QB (Texans): Two years, $7MM base value. $1.75MM of $2.5MM 2015 salary guaranteed (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of USA Today).
  • Brian Hartline, WR (Browns): Two years, $6MM base value. $1.5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
  • Tyvon Branch, S (Chiefs): One year, $2.1MM base value. $200K signing bonus. $2MM in playing-time, INT, Super Bowl incentives (Twitter links via Wilson).

NFC FA Rumors: Irving, Cowboys, Falcons

March 10th, 2015 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

The Cardinals are expected to lock up former Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon to a new contract once free agency opens, but the team has interest in adding two free agent linebackers, not just one, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport reports that Nate Irving could be that second linebacker, as the former Bronco is likely to visit Arizona this week.

  • The Cowboys have some interest in free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie, tweets Rapoport. Cromartie has been almost exclusively linked to the Jets, but there’s no agreement in place between the two sides yet.
  • Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets that he has been told “repeatedly” that the Falcons aren’t real players for Brian Orakpo. However, Jones adds that Atlanta does appear to have interest in another Washington free agent, wide receiver Leonard Hankerson.
  • Running back Antone Smith has yet to hear a whole lot about his free agent status, according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, who says (via Twitter) that the Falcons would like to bring him back. Smith has also reportedly drawn some interest from the Giants.
  • In the wake of the Saints‘ release of Curtis Lofton, there’s mutual interest between the team and Ramon Humber in getting a deal done to help bolster the inside linebacker spot, tweets Katherine Terrell of NOLA.com.
  • No longer a free agent, Randall Cobb told reporters today, including Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link) that he had five other offers when he decided to return to the Packers, and got a sixth after he had made his decision.
  • After offering him a contract, the Vikings remain in contact with quarterback Shaun Hill, who has yet to make a decision, tweets Ben Goessling of ESPN.com.

Packers Sign Randall Cobb To Four-Year Deal

March 9th, 2015 at 4:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

MONDAY, 4:44pm: The Packers have officially announced Cobb’s new deal.

SATURDAY, 9:29pm: The Packers will keep one of their big-name free agents off the market. Randall Cobb agreed to a four-year, $40MM deal to stay in Green Bay, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted.

Cobb, who doesn’t turn 25 until August, was one of the top players on the market and will return to Green Bay to pair with Jordy Nelson, who makes just less than $10MM per year.

A slot receiver who posted career-high numbers across the board in his contract year, Cobb reportedly had six or seven offers and turned down more money to stay with the Packers, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter. This is the second contract in less than nine months the Packers have offered to keep one of their own. Nelson signed a $39MM deal last July and teamed with Cobb to give Aaron Rodgers a dynamic wideout duo that helped the Packers return to the NFC title game.

Cobb rated No. 3 on PFR’s top 50 free agents list and was reportedly seeking $12MM per year, and this deal may determine the value of this year’s wideout crop. Jeremy Maclin and Torrey Smith now slide up the board for wide receiver-desperate teams. Nelson and Cobb took priority for the Packers, who let Greg Jennings and James Jones leave in the past two offseasons, respectively.

The 5-foot-10 former second-round pick from Kentucky notched his first season of 1,000+ yards last year, re-establishing his value after missing 10 games due to a broken leg in 2013. Since entering the league in 2011, Cobb’s caught 75.2% of his targets — tops in the NFL in that span, per ESPN.

The Packers will have around $22MM in cap space with right tackle Bryan Bulaga set to hit free agency in less than three days.

Dolphins Offered Cobb More Than Packers

March 9th, 2015 at 10:57am CST by Zachary Links

The Dolphins paid big bucks to sign Ndamukong Suh, but that’s not the only star they went after. Miami was also in the mix to sign Randall Cobb with a deal that was “significantly more,” than the four-year, $40MM deal he inked with Green Bay, a source told Dave Hyde of the Sun Sentinel.

The difference, Hyde writes, was that the Miami offer was backloaded, meaning that the final years of the contract paid the most money. That would have given the Dolphins time to get their salary situation in order and, perhaps, not be forced to release receiver Mike Wallace this upcoming season for financial reasons.

Cobb rated No. 3 on PFR’s top 50 free agents list and was reportedly seeking $12MM per year. At the time of the agreement with the Packers, it was said that Cobb had six or seven offers and turned down more money to stay in Green Bay.

The 5-foot-10 former second-round pick from Kentucky notched his first season of 1,000+ yards last year, re-establishing his value after missing 10 games due to a broken leg in 2013. Since entering the league in 2011, Cobb’s caught 75.2% of his targets — tops in the NFL in that span, per ESPN.

 

Fallout From Randall Cobb Deal

March 8th, 2015 at 8:26am CST by Rory Parks

Randall Cobb‘s decision to remain in Green Bay on a four-year, $40MM contract has had an impact on a number of teams in the league, especially those with a need at the wide receiver position. Let’s take a look at some of the fallout from the Cobb deal:

  • The Chargers were “real players” for Cobb, tweets Kevin Acee of U-T San Diego. However, they were prepared for the Packers to re-sign Cobb before the star slot receiver could hit the open market. It is unclear if the Chargers, who have a number of irons in the fire at the moment, will consider a run at Jeremy Maclin or Torrey Smith.
  • Confirming what we heard last night, Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com reports that Cobb had been one of the Raiders‘ top free agent targets. With plenty of money to spend, Oakland will continue its attempts to upgrade its wide receiving corps in free agency and the draft. If the Raiders cannot land one of the top free agents still on the board, second-tier options like Michael Crabtree, Cecil Shorts, and Kenny Britt could be options.
  • Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com wonders if the Cobb deal will “force the Bears into a greater focus to consider a change-of-pace, over-the-top receiver in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.” Boden notes that the team really needs someone to take the pressure off Alshon Jeffery now that Brandon Marshall is in New York, and the only true deep threat left in free agency is Baltimore’s Smith.
  • ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Cobb’s lucrative deal is a win for Smith and Maclin, who now have more leverage as they seek their next contract.
  • Smith was already expected to leave the Ravens, as Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reports, but now Wilson would not be surprised if Smith’s next deal approached the $10MM average annual value that Cobb received from Green Bay.

NFC Notes: Cobb, Paea, Gore

March 7th, 2015 at 7:49pm CST by Sam Robinson

Randall Cobb may have a soft spot for the NFL’s smallest city. The Packers wideout who looks to be the best receiving option on the market will take $1-$2MM less per year to stay with the Packers, Yahoo’s Charles Robinson tweets.

On a robust receiver market that also includes Jeremy Maclin, Torrey Smith and probably Andre Johnson and Dwayne Bowe, the elusive receiver figures to command north of $11MM per year. But Green Bay does have more than $32MM of cap space after opting to not franchise Cobb or right tackle Bryan Bulaga earlier this week.

Elsewhere around the NFC …

  • Stephen Paea‘s contract-year showing of six sacks and 16 games started for the Bears has created early interest, with the Cowboys, Cardinals and Washington in on the defensive tackle, according to CSNChicago’s Jen Lada on Twitter. Paea graded out as the 11th-best defensive tackle last year at Pro Football Focus (subscription required), but the 306-pound player entering his age-27 season performed poorly against the run. The Cowboys covet Paea, who played for DC Rod Marinelli in Chicago, and Buccaneers defensive end Adrian Clayborn, reports the Dallas Star-Telegram’s Charean Williams.
  • Despite receiving a promising rookie campaign from Carlos Hyde, the 49ers are pondering an 11th year in the Bay Area for Frank Gore, reports the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch.

    “We want him back,” 49ers CEO Jed York said. “I think he wants to be here. I know he wants to be here. And I think we’ll figure out a way to do it.”Gore will be 32 next year and has been the 49ers’ starter since 2006. But the bruising back’s yards per carry ticked up a bit to 4.3 last season with his carries total dipping below 256 for the first time since 2010.

  • The Cardinals are amid aggressive pursuits of linebackers, writes AZcentral.com’s Kent Somers. The strongest interest still appears to be in Weatherspoon, but the Cardinals reportedly are intrigued by Trent Cole and Pernell McPhee. The latest Ravens backup dynamo, McPhee will cost the most out of this trio despite starting the fewest amount of contests.
  • The Bucs do not seem interested in bringing back Da’Quan Bowers, tweets Roy Cummings of the Tampa Tribune. The 275-pound end’s started just 10 games in four seasons after Tampa Bay tabbed him as a second-round pick in 2011.

Chargers Rumors: Suh, Flowers, Cobb, OL

March 7th, 2015 at 5:37pm CST by Luke Adams

We hadn’t heard the Chargers linked to many big-name free agents before today, but – armed with about $26MM in cap room – it seems the team is prepared to make some noise this coming week. Here’s the latest out of San Diego:

  • The Chargers are preparing to make a run at Ndamukong Suh, joining a long list of potential suitors for 2015’s top free agent, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Albert Breer of the NFL Network adds (via Twitter) that sources from teams who are in the mix for Suh suggest the bidding could reach $18MM+ per year, and the Chargers may not be willing to go quite that high to land the star defensive tackle.
  • According to Rapoport (via Twitter), the Chargers are making a “hard push” to hang onto Brandon Flowers, and there’s a good chance the team will be able to bring back the veteran cornerback. No agreement has been reached yet, but Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun also reports (via Twitter) that Flowers is expected to remain in San Diego.
  • Eyeing potential offensive lineman help, with Nick Hardwick and Jeromey Clary having retired at season’s end, the Chargers are expected to pursue 49ers guard Mike Iupati, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Per Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (via Twitter), the club may also be in on Broncos lineman Orlando Franklin. Iupati is widely regarded as the top interior lineman available this month, so Franklin may be a Plan B if the team is unable to land the veteran Niner.
  • Within the previously-linked story, Gehlken notes that Randall Cobb is considered a free agent worth keeping an eye on for the Chargers as well. That seems like a long shot, but perhaps it would become more plausible if San Diego strikes out on its other top targets.
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