While Aaron Rodgers is still mulling his NFL future, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb has made a decision on his. On Monday, a source told Bill Huber of SI.com that Cobb intends to play in 2023.
Cobb, who is an unrestricted free agent, caught 34 passes for 417 yards and a touchdown last season. Cobb missed four games with an ankle injury but recently had surgery to clean up a “persisting issue” in his ankle, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The procedure should allow him to play pain-free next season.
#Packers veteran WR Randall Cobb recently underwent surgery to clean out the back of his ankle to fix a persisting issue, sources say, as he continues to weigh his future. If he plays in 2023, the surgery will help him be pain free.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 3, 2023
The legal tampering period for free agency began at noon on Monday, meaning Cobb can agree to go wherever he wants. However, he is probably waiting to what happens with his good friend and quarterback.
Rodgers still hasn’t told either the Packers or the Jets what he plans to do next season. If he does end up going to New York — something Trey Wingo reported as a done deal earlier in the day – it is inherently possible Cobb will join him.
After all, Rodgers is the main reason Cobb returned to Green Bay in 2021. Following his offseason of disgruntlement, the front office traded a sixth-round draft pick for Cobb to appease Rodgers.
Cobb will turn 33 in August and is not the same player he used to be. Cobb hasn’t played a full season since 2015 due to injuries, and now he is planning to fight off Father Time heading into Year 13.
What Cobb does have going for him is a reliable set of hands that caught nearly 70 percent of his targets over the last two seasons.
In the scenario that Rodgers does retire, the Packers could always re-sign Cobb to another team-friendly deal. That way, he could be a safety valve for Jordan Love and continue to bring a strong veteran presence to the locker room.
