Green Bay Packers: Top 5 most overpaid players
2. Randall Cobb
2017 Base Salary: $8,600,000.00 Cap Hit: $12,656,250.00
There’s no debating the fact that Cobb is an above-average receiver that is both tough and elusive as the Packers’ primary slot man. In fact, after a subpar 2015 in which the 7th-year pro struggled through a shoulder injury, Cobb experienced a slight resurgence.
Though his 60 receptions for 610 yards seem fairly pedestrian, 42.4-percent of Cobb’s targets either resulted in a first down or touchdown, a stat that exceeded the percentage totals of all other Packers’ offensive skill-position players, according to PFF.
The issue with the 5-foot-10 pass catcher is that he’s making No. 1 receiver type of money when he has yet to prove that he can be Green Bay’s main go-to guy over an extended period.
With a healthy Jordy Nelson in the fold, Aaron Rodgers at times seemed to only have eyes for his top vertical threat. When you combine that with the emergence of Davante Adams as an additional downfield option, Cobb would often get lost in the shuffle throughout the regular season.
And while the converted high-school quarterback can always be counted on in clutch moments, with his 3-touchdown postseason performance versus the Giants being a prime example, Cobb has averaged paltry 10.5 and 10.2 yards-per-reception averages over the past two seasons.
His 2014 season, furthermore, stands as the only time he’s surpassed the 1,000-yard barrier.
The other factor playing against Cobb ever achieving No. 1 wideout status is his size.
The versatile chess piece can line up in several different spots, but he’s not a physically dominant weapon that can haul in 50-50 balls or go up and over a 6-foot corner on a goal-line fade route.
He’s also prone to injury when he fearlessly makes plays across the middle. So, while the heart is there to fight for the ball in traffic, Packers’ fans have become all too familiar with the sight of Cobb slowly getting to his feet after a hard takedown.
In essence, the argument isn’t whether Cobb should be a major part of the offense in years to come, but it’s whether he’s worth a cap hit in excess of $12 million.
The price tag here warrants some type of revision.