Randall Cobb is...

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Fast forward to now, injuries and other circumstances have brought Cobb's stats down under that guaranteed contract, yet he is still a key piece to the offense, with nobody behind him playing better. So do you bale, take the cap hit and try to replace every player that may be underperforming a contract but is a starter and a contributor?
Using that as an impetus to move the conversation forward and away from Cobb a bit - Of the guys we have on the roster right now below our top 3, this is how I personally view them:
  • Allison: Seems capable of making plays when needed, probably tops out as a possession receiver capable of being a solid if unspectacular #2/3 WR, though 3/4 is far more likely. Might end up being decent if unspectacular in the slot. Could very well not be on the team in 2 years, though. (J/K, future HoF, measure him for the bust now!)
  • Janis: Making it hard to cut him, but I think we all agree that his development as a WR is stalled and it would be better if we had other players who had higher upside. Could have been a great deep route guy, but he is just so flawed elsewhere. Probably gone this year, definitely not here next year.
  • Davis: Bounces up and down a lot, but seems pretty much like Janis 2.0. Perhaps he can do just that little bit more in terms of route mechanics and reliability which Janis has been unable to show and end up as a legitimate burner. Probably taps out as a #3/4 boundary WR, though. Almost certainly sticks through his rookie contract, hard to predict what happens then.
  • McCaffery: Probably the most physically gifted of all of the above guys. I have not seen enough of him to personally project his ceiling and floor, but what I have read suggests he has at least some of the fundamentals to go with his physical attributes which could lead to him being a top 3 guy. Unlikely, but not precluded, from a far future #1 WR somewhere, though as with the vast bulk of young guys it's more probable he is on the bubble for a few years and then goes to sell cars. Still, for the first time on this list, the potential is there.
  • Clark: Without a doubt the most physically intriguing guy on the bubble. A guy of his size with his high point and catching instincts could be incredible. Not every late and UDFA becomes Donald Driver in terms of success and production, but Donald Driver WAS a late round guy and he ended up incredible. Clark likely isn't in the league 3 years from now, but of all of the ceilings he is the one on this list who has the most overall potential. 95% chance he sells cars, 1% chance he is the next Megatron, 4% chance he falls somewhere inbetween. Currently my favorite bubble boy.
(havent personally seen or read enough of Yancey, Dupree or Crockett to say anything about them.)
 

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Using that as an impetus to move the conversation forward and away from Cobb a bit - Of the guys we have on the roster right now below our top 3, this is how I personally view them:
  • Allison: Seems capable of making plays when needed, probably tops out as a possession receiver capable of being a solid if unspectacular #2/3 WR, though 3/4 is far more likely. Might end up being decent if unspectacular in the slot. Could very well not be on the team in 2 years, though. (J/K, future HoF, measure him for the bust now!)
  • Janis: Making it hard to cut him, but I think we all agree that his development as a WR is stalled and it would be better if we had other players who had higher upside. Could have been a great deep route guy, but he is just so flawed elsewhere. Probably gone this year, definitely not here next year.
  • Davis: Bounces up and down a lot, but seems pretty much like Janis 2.0. Perhaps he can do just that little bit more in terms of route mechanics and reliability which Janis has been unable to show and end up as a legitimate burner. Probably taps out as a #3/4 boundary WR, though. Almost certainly sticks through his rookie contract, hard to predict what happens then.
  • McCaffery: Probably the most physically gifted of all of the above guys. I have not seen enough of him to personally project his ceiling and floor, but what I have read suggests he has at least some of the fundamentals to go with his physical attributes which could lead to him being a top 3 guy. Unlikely, but not precluded, from a far future #1 WR somewhere, though as with the vast bulk of young guys it's more probable he is on the bubble for a few years and then goes to sell cars. Still, for the first time on this list, the potential is there.
  • Clark: Without a doubt the most physically intriguing guy on the bubble. A guy of his size with his high point and catching instincts could be incredible. Not every late and UDFA becomes Donald Driver in terms of success and production, but Donald Driver WAS a late round guy and he ended up incredible. Clark likely isn't in the league 3 years from now, but of all of the ceilings he is the one on this list who has the most overall potential. 95% chance he sells cars, 1% chance he is the next Megatron, 4% chance he falls somewhere inbetween. Currently my favorite bubble boy.
(havent personally seen or read enough of Yancey, Dupree or Crockett to say anything about them.)

Basically, a large group of inexperienced players with various levels of potential. The next 2 weeks will either earn them a spot on the final 53, the PS or out of the Packer system. But none of them jump out at me as instant starters or players that currently make Cobb or Adams expendable. I would put Allison at #4 and McCaffrey at #5.
 
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Basically, a large group of inexperienced players with various levels of potential. [...] But none of them jump out at me as instant starters or players that currently make Cobb or Adams expendable.
Well yeah; I was trying to shift the context of the discussion away from value as replacements, though, to just a discussion of our objective assessments of those guys. Thought it would be a fun direction for the conversation after the last few pages of the thread have gotten a tad bit more tense.
 

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Well yeah; I was trying to shift the context of the discussion away from value as replacements, though, to just a discussion of our objective assessments of those guys. Thought it would be a fun direction for the conversation after the last few pages of the thread have gotten a tad bit more tense.

Right, but given the title of the thread, "Randall Cobb is...", the natural discussion is going to (or should) center around him. At least it hasn't broken off into another "Fire Capers" or "Jeff Janis" thread......just yet. ;)
 

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Without really knowing what goes through a FO's strategizing, with an seeming abundance of WR talent and potential it seems plausible that cutting guys who have the best chance of making it to the practice squad unclaimed must factor into the final cut. Perhaps a player with more shot-term upside makes the 53 over someone else because circumstances may be more favorable for retaining them both.
 

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I think McCaffrey is playing and practicing his way off the bubble. Imo, he's more valuable, present and future than a 9th offensive lineman, 4th RB, 2nd FB, 11th DB and 11th LB.
 

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Without really knowing what goes through a FO's strategizing, with an seeming abundance of WR talent and potential it seems plausible that cutting guys who have the best chance of making it to the practice squad unclaimed must factor into the final cut. Perhaps a player with more shot-term upside makes the 53 over someone else because circumstances may be more favorable for retaining them both.

This goes through my head around this time every year. "Who isn't ready to be on the 53, but has enough potential that you want to keep him "safe"." Last year I believe it was Callahan they tried to protect by putting him on the 53 to begin the season and when they later tried to slide him over to the PS, the Saints snatched him up. MM wasn't happy.

Guessing it's a very talked about strategy when those last 5 or so spots are determined. I think you are right though, if there is a player with short term upside (like Janis, yes I said it ;)) you keep him over a rookie who has potential, but nothing other than some preseason film for other teams to look at. I could be wrong, but seems like most of the waiver moves at that time of year (besides the cuts) are teams picking up cast off veterans, because they may be a better option for depth than that team currently has. The rookies picked up are usually to improve another team's Practice Squad. An unproven rookie like Dupre or Clark is probably a safe bet to be placed on the practice squad and not desired enough by another team to be snatched for their 53. Every team and their fans are busy watching all these cinderella stories unfold within their organization and a guy like Michael Clark probably isn't on anyone's radar but Packer fans and coaches.
 

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I think McCaffrey is playing and practicing his way off the bubble. Imo, he's more valuable, present and future than a 9th offensive lineman, 4th RB, 2nd FB, 11th DB and 11th LB.

Or even as the #5 or 6 WR and primary punt returner?
 

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This goes through my head around this time every year. "Who isn't ready to be on the 53, but has enough potential that you want to keep him "safe"." Last year I believe it was Callahan they tried to protect by putting him on the 53 to begin the season and when they later tried to slide him over to the PS, the Saints snatched him up. MM wasn't happy.

Guessing it's a very talked about strategy when those last 5 or so spots are determined. I think you are right though, if there is a player with short term upside (like Janis, yes I said it ;)) you keep him over a rookie who has potential, but nothing other than some preseason film for other teams to look at. I could be wrong, but seems like most of the waiver moves at that time of year (besides the cuts) are teams picking up cast off veterans, because they may be a better option for depth than that team currently has. The rookies picked up are usually to improve another team's Practice Squad. An unproven rookie like Dupre or Clark is probably a safe bet to be placed on the practice squad and not desired enough by another team to be snatched for their 53. Every team and their fans are busy watching all these cinderella stories unfold within their organization and a guy like Michael Clark probably isn't on anyone's radar but Packer fans and coaches.
The last cutdown from 75 to 53 comes at a time when the free agent pool increases by 700 players overnight. If you lose one or two of them, you can rest assured that you've got better depth than just about everyone.
 

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Wouldn't surprise me if he's the #4 WR to start the season. He's a player, and he comes with excellent intangibles imo.
Agreed. Hard to fully gauge his play, since it is coming against other non-starters, but I hear nothing but positives about the guy coming out of camp. As I said in a previous post, I really hope we get to see him in this next game with the #1 offense.
 

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The last cutdown from 75 to 53 comes at a time when the free agent pool increases by 700 players overnight. If you lose one or two of them, you can rest assured that you've got better depth than just about everyone.

I'm guessing other teams keep a pretty close eye on the Packers waived during that final cutdown, despite the 700 or so other players. Would be interesting to know which teams have the most cut players signed by other teams each year.
 

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Yep. A day or three after the last preseason game, your player pool drops by overt a third. From 90 to 53. Next day you add ten back to the practice squad.

Which puts that new number of players available at about 1184. :eek:

Call it getting older......but I always forget each year that the 1o man PS is made up of guys you have to cut, wait and see if another team grabs them and then sign to the PS if they are still available. Would still prefer more safe keeping for your #54 - #63 guys, but I guess that creates better competition between teams.
 
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If you're taking this conversation as wanting him gone for the ascendance of another player, you (and those agreeing) have utterly failed to understand the point of this entire line of reasoning. Nobody here wants him gone, especially just for shiggles. He is one of our top three guys. REGARDLESS, he is MASSIVELY overpaid at his current performance level, and that makes it at least SOMEWHAT likely that the team will decide to part ways with him at some point. How people have taken that analysis of the situation to mean "gosh golly, I really want that guy gone" is beyond me - but this would not be the internet if people didn't respond to what they wanted to read, instead of what was written.

I truly believe the best scenario for the Packers would be to restructure Cobb's contract to keep him around for the long haul with a cap number truly reflecting his performance.

I am curious about Michael Clark. A lot of people have been so high on him and now that we are playing games I don't see much of him. Are we trying to stash him? I would like to see him play great and beat out Rodgers but have had no opportunity to watch him play.

With Clark being a wide receiver it's reasonable to assume he doesn't compete with Rodgers for a roster spot.

Janis: Making it hard to cut him, but I think we all agree that his development as a WR is stalled and it would be better if we had other players who had higher upside. Could have been a great deep route guy, but he is just so flawed elsewhere. Probably gone this year, definitely not here next year.

I'm convinced Janis will make the final roster.
 

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I truly believe the best scenario for the Packers would be to restructure Cobb's contract to keep him around for the long haul with a cap number truly reflecting his value.

Yeah, that wouldn't be a bad situation. But I think they need to view him as the #3.
 

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Hopefully he has another break out season, making his contract not seem like such a big deal.
I think a healthy Cobb is the key to that and if he can be on the field most of the season he will remind people just how valuable he can be. But that is the stance the team has to take on all players, "What is their value to the team when playing?". Jordy was "way overpaid" in 2015 when he didn't play one regular season down.:coffee:
 

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