Why Randall Cobb Is the Jewel of the NFL Offseason

In theory, the 2015 NFL unrestricted free-agent class is one of the best in the league's history. In reality, however, most of the biggest names will probably get re-signed by their former teams. That may become the case for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb—but it very well may not, which is why Cobb is the most intriguing player to watch this offseason.

As Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport notes, receiver Dez Bryant will almost certainly return to the Dallas Cowboys. Same goes for Demaryius Thomas and the Denver Broncos as well as Jeremy Maclin and the Philadelphia Eagles. Teams can give players the franchise tag starting on Monday. Bryant, Thomas and Maclin will likely be locked down before free agency begins on March 10.

Cobb, then, represents the best chance for a team to land an excellent receiver in the prime of his career.

He set career marks this past season for receptions (91), receiving yards (1,287) and touchdowns (12) while starting all 16 games. In two playoff games, he caught 15 passes for 178 yards and a touchdown. At 24 years old, Cobb proved he can stay healthy, thrived in big moments and made the occasional acrobatic play—like this one against the Chicago Bears in Week 10:

The Packers have cap space, but they also have a lot of money committed to receiver Jordy Nelson. Rookie Davante Adams racked up 446 receiving yards in 2014, suggesting he could at least partially fill Cobb's shoes were Cobb to depart. The question is whether Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson will decide to pony up.

"I think I've made that obvious," Cobb told Paul Imig of Fox Sports Wisconsin when asked if he wanted to return to the Packers. "But like I've said before, this is a business. You don't know how it's going to go, what direction it's going to go in."

"It's definitely gonna be a decision that weighs on me when the time comes," Cobb added in a recent interview with CBS Sports (video below). "But as far as right now I haven't signed on any dotted lines, so I'm just gonna take it day by day and let the process work itself out."

ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert points out that Cobb has ranked fifth among NFL receivers over his four-year career in yards gained after the catch with 6.19. He also has the ability to pick up carries out of the backfield when necessary.

The Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs, Davenport says, could be two of his primary suitors.

Jim Slosiarek/Associated Press

Cobb does have just one great season under his belt, and doubts remain as to how he would fare in a different system. "I like Cobb a lot, but he worries me a little bit," says ESPN scout Matt Williamson (h/t Seifert). "I don't know that he's the guy that can deal every week with facing the best cover guys. He can do a lot of things, but is he that guy? I don't know. He is great in the slot and can make a lot of plays, but he's not a burner."

Why, then, is Cobb the jewel of the NFL offseason instead of, say, Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray? In short: because Murray is a running back.

Yes, he led the league in rushing with 1,845 yards, and yes, he's only 27. But Murray has a history of injuries. He was running last year behind the best offensive line in football. And his workload—392 carries—was alarming. Seifert notes that the last six running backs with that many carries have rushed for fewer than 1,000 yards the following season. 

The chances of Cobb staying productive for the next three seasons are much higher than the chances of Murray doing the same. If the Packers don't tag him, Cobb could get big money elsewhere—perhaps even more than Nelson's four years, $39 million.    

After making just over $800,000 in 2014, one thing is clear: Randall Cobb is getting a monster raise.