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.
I’d say there are rogue elements within the Packers’ FO that were hoping Cobb was done for the year. If he makes a couple of key catches or has a big game in the playoffs, it’s more ammunition for the Rodgers over Gutekunst argument.
According to recent developments, the Gute/Rodgers rift doesn’t appear to be nearly as big as previously reported.
Besides, with the absolute mess regarding next year’s cap, anything involving Cobb is a grain of sand in the desert. Currently more than $40 million over, not including a what a davante adams deal might cost.
I completely agree on the cap issues being a huge problem, but I don’t believe the Gute/Rodgers rift is healed. I think Rodgers is saying all the right things because that is generally his way. However, when he says things like “mulling his options for the future”, I hear “waiting for the Packers to do the right thing”. I think he wants Gute gone and he’s giving the team the chance to act like it’s their idea.
Not to nit pick (and not accusing you of that, just clarifying)..I didn’t say healed, I said it doesn’t appear as bad.
And if reports were anywhere near accurate all those months ago, it seems in order to get rid of Gute, Murphy would have to go first, or along with him. That puts it in…the board of directors..(?) lap.
That’s what makes this situation so unique and interesting. Most of the time if there is any tension between the star QB and team management (including the coach) there is an owner to step in. That was the case with Brady and Belichick. Robert Craft was able to step in and assuage both sides until a working agreement was reached. In this case there is no omnipotent figure to play mediator.