Packers: Three questions facing Randall Cobb in 2018

3. Is this his final season in Green Bay?

Cobb will enter his eighth NFL season at just 28 years old. He’s clearly the second-best receiver in Green Bay and has excellent chemistry with Aaron Rodgers.

Some fans and analysts, though, have questioned whether Cobb should even be on the team. There was a debate this offseason over whether Cobb or Jordy Nelson would be a more likely cut, and many favored Cobb to be released.

Cobb is in the final year of a four-year, $40 million contract that he signed after an 91-catch, 1,287-yard, 12-touchdown season. Since then, he’s averaged just 68 catches, 697 yards, and 4.67 touchdowns a year.

Cobb will play out this deal, so it’s of little use debating whether he’s overpaid now. The question is whether or not the Packers will invest in Cobb for additional seasons after this one.

Gutekunst did just draft three receivers, but none in the first three rounds. With Nelson gone, it’s now Adams, Cobb, and a bunch of Day 3 and undrafted prospects in the receiver room.

The Packers traditionally hand out third contracts to only their most valued players, preferring to move on early to younger prospects.

But Cobb has a solid chance of returning to Green Bay in 2019. He’s still quite young, and though he’s lost a bit of speed due to injuries and age, he remains a very valuable weapon in the slot. His departure would make wide receiver an obvious position of need in the 2019 NFL Draft.

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The answer will depend on his production this season, the growth of the young backup receivers, and Russ Ball’s willingness to pay. It will be fascinating to see where the back nine of Cobb’s career plays out.