Packers WR Randall Cobb Has Proven He Deserves Contract Extension Before 2015

After Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson earned a four-year, $39 million extension this offseason while Randall Cobb entered the fourth year of his rookie contract, Cobb told ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky "I don't believe I've done enough, and I think that's on me."

Halfway through the 2014 season, however—one in which Cobb has scored a career-high nine touchdowns—enough may be enough.

If the Packers want Cobb on their roster for at least the rest of Aaron Rodgers' career, if not longer, they should sign him to an extension during the 2014 season rather than allow him to test the free-agent waters.

Cobb's best season was his sophomore year, in which he totaled 954 yards on 80 receptions and scored eight touchdowns—his previous career high before he earned his ninth on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints with a 70-yard catch-and-run from Rodgers.

Season	Games Played	Receptions	Yards	Avg.	TDs
2011	15	25	375	15.0	1
2012	15	80	954	11.9	8
2013	6	31	433	14.0	4
2014	8*	40	578	14.5	9

If he felt those numbers weren't enough to earn him the money he desires, he can consider this: His current numbers (40 receptions, 578 yards, nine touchdowns) put him on pace for season results of 80 receptions, 1,156 yards and 18 touchdowns.

If he were to maintain his pace, he would tie Sterling Sharpe's franchise single-season record for touchdowns.

He was one of the bright spots in Green Bay's loss to New Orleans, accumulating a season-high 126 yards and a touchdown on a night when Jordy Nelson was uncharacteristically quiet.

It was Cobb's fifth consecutive game with a score and his third with more than 100 yards, as he begins to build up a body of work that suggests he can be a high-yardage receiver as well as a high scorer.

Those stats would certainly be fodder that his agent, Jimmy Sexton, could use in his negotiations.

Cobb's worth to Green Bay, however, goes far beyond his output. In addition to taking over the end-zone looks that James Jones got before he departed for the Oakland Raiders in free agency, Cobb—who lines up primarily in the slot—has also proven he's versatile enough to be an outside weapon for Rodgers.

He certainly makes Rodgers' job easier.

Heading into Week 8, Rodgers' passer rating of 143.8 (subscription required) when throwing to Cobb was higher than that of any other quarterback-receiver tandem in the league.

Rodgers can also place his trust in Cobb's ability to connect. Cobb's catch rate of 74.5 percent (subscription required) is in the top 15 of NFL receivers.

Rogelio Solis/Associated Press

Cobb's 126 receiving yards in Week 8 were as many as he totaled through the first three games of the season, a stretch in which the Packers went 1-2. The contract he had not received weighed heavily on his mind, as he told reporters.

"I mean, it definitely had something to do with it," Cobb said. "But I think I found peace mentally, and that's the biggest thing, having that peace and being able to not worry about those things."

Now that he's found a groove, the Packers have an opportunity to reward him and lock him down before other suitors can come knocking.

The Packers haven't been afraid to let star receivers walk in the past, and the fact that Greg Jennings and James Jones have not yet had the kinds of performances on their new teams that they had in Green Bay could possibly drive Cobb's asking price down outside the state of Wisconsin.

Still, the Packers have the salary-cap space—much of it reserved so that they could retain homegrown weapons like Nelson and Cobb. After re-signing Nelson, the Packers were still about $8.5 million under the cap, according to Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

They could carry that over to 2015 if they don't make any more in-season extensions, but Dougherty notes that it's a "good bet" the Packers could approach Cobb in November or December once he's proven he can stay healthy and productive.

Cobb missed 10 games in 2013 with a broken leg.

Player	2014 Slot %	Total	Avg./Year	Guaranteed
Victor Cruz (NYG)	89.2%	$43M	$8.6M	$15.6M
Marques Colston (NO)	76.0%	$36.3M	$7.3M	$17.7M
Wes Welker (DEN)	91.7%	$12M	$6M	$6M
Danny Amendola (NE)	87.0%	$28.5M	$5.7M	$8M

With general manager Ted Thompson's propensity to reward players he has drafted and developed as well as the realization that paying up for Cobb now may save the Packers money down the road if they try to re-sign him in free agency, that timeline is definitely preferable.

The New York Giants re-signed slot receiver Victor Cruz to a five-year, $43 million extension last year, and it's likely Cobb is seeking something in that same neighborhood.

Advanced statistics courtesy of Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Contract information courtesy of Over the Cap.