Randall Cobb a $9 Million Dollar a Year Gamble Raiders Should Take
By Kevin Saito
The fact that the Oakland Raiders need an upgrade in their wide receiving corps isn’t exactly a secret around the league. The secret – at least so far – is what they’re going to do to address that deficiency. Armed with a high draft pick, as well as a boatload of cash to spend this offseason, the Raiders find themselves in a really good spot – which isn’t something the organization has been able to say too often over the last decade plus.
With a number of premium wide receivers set to hit the open market next month, the Raiders figure to be major players in free agency. Though they are expected to address a number of needs, they are in a prime position to get that upgrade to their receiving corps they so desperately need.
More from Las Vegas Raiders News
- Raiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance
- Raiders: Bryan Edwards out, Henry Ruggs doubtful for Sunday
- Raiders: Damon Arnette re-injures thumb, could be headed to IR
- Raiders fall short in letdown Week 3 loss to the New England Patriots
- Raiders: Game breakdown and prediction for Week 3 at New England Patriots
Given the fact that the Green Bay Packers appear content to let him hit the open market, GM Reggie McKenzie would be a fool to not pull out all the stops to bring Randall Cobb to Oakland.
Cobb’s time in Green Bay appears to be over simply because of economics. The team already gave a hefty raise to Jordy Nelson, and slapping him with the franchise tag would cost the team nearly $13 million dollars, making it a very cost prohibitive move.
Which means that the Packers will likely be bidding adieu to Cobb.
Jan 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb (18) stiff arms Seattle Seahawks cornerback
Jeremy Lane(20) during the first quarter in the NFC Championship Game at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
Fortunately for Oakland, according to reports, Cobb is looking for a contract that will pay him roughly $9 million a year, or a contract roughly equivalent to what the Packers gave Nelson – four years, $39 million dollars.
In demanding that sort of money, Cobb has some leverage given that he’s coming off a year in which he caught 91 balls for 1,287 yards and 12 scores – all career highs for Cobb and numbers that no Raiders receiver came close to matching in 2014. Or in any season in recent memory, come to think of it.
The gamble of course, is whether Cobb really is that good, or if his numbers are somewhat inflated by virtue of playing with arguably, the game’s best QB in Aaron Rodgers. 2014 was by far, Cobb’s most productive season as a professional, and some might argue that in addition to having Rodgers throwing him the ball, that he benefited from the attention that Nelson was drawing from opposing defenses.
It’s impossible to say, of course, but at “just” $9 million dollars a season, McKenzie and the Raiders would be foolish to not gamble on Cobb. While the salary he’s believed to be looking for would put him inside the top 10 of the highest paid receivers in the NFL, he’s not looking for an exorbitant sum of money, nor is he asking for an unrealistic payday.
Live Feed
Dairyland Express
Assuming that the Raiders opt to re-sign restricted free agents Rod Streater and Andre Holmes, adding Cobb to a receiving corps that includes Brice Butler and James Jones gives QB Derek Carr some legitimate weapons to work with. Adding Cobb would make the Raiders’ receiving corps far more formidable than it’s been in quite some time.
If they have the chance to land Cobb, it seems to be a no-brainer. He would immediately improve the offense, give Carr another desperately needed weapon, and would allow Oakland to use the fourth overall pick on another glaring area of need – an elite pass rusher.
Green Bay alums McKenzie, Jones, and Charles Woodson need to pull whatever strings they can and use whatever influence they have to lure Cobb to the Bay Area. He would get the money he’s looking for, and the Raiders would get something they so badly need – a legitimate playmaker.