NFC Notes: Cobb, Paea, Gore

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.
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