The Green Bay Packers have been dealing with a cluster of injuries at the wide receiver position. Unfortunately for them, the Packers offense will have to find a way to handle yet another wideout missing an extended period of time.
The day before their Week 7 matchup against the Washington Commanders, the Packers announced a couple of moves in preparation for the game. The positive news was that new veteran receiver Sammy Watkins was being activated off injured reserve after missing four games with a hamstring injury.
However, the Packers had to swap receivers on IR, placing veteran and fan favorite Randall Cobb on injured reserve with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 6 against the New York Jets. The move means that Cobb will miss at least four games, with the ability to be activated back to the 53-man roster at any time after that.
The Packers also added a couple of last-minute injury designations, listing Watkins (hamstring), David Bakhtiari (knee), and Devonte Wyatt (illness) all to the injury report with questionable designations. So, while Watkins was activated, the Packers could be without some key contributors for Sunday’s game.
Is Randall Cobb Nearing Retirement?
Despite a strong early showing this season, another injury has hit Cobb, and that has put his NFL future in jeopardy.
Before the injuries started to pile up, Cobb was an electric slot playmaker for the Packers. A former quarterback for the Kentucky Wildcats, the Packers took Cobb with the 64th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. It didn’t take long for his impact to be felt, scoring two touchdowns on a 32-yard reception and 108-yard kickoff return in his first NFL game against the New Orleans Saints.
Cobb played eight seasons in his first stint for the Packers, even earning a Pro Bowl nod back in 2014. However, the team decided to move on from the veteran after the 2018 season, leaving Cobb to sign with the Dallas Cowboys.
The veteran wideout spent two seasons away from Green Bay with the Cowboys and Houston Texans before the Packers traded to bring him back before the 2021 season. While he has showed flashes in his return, injuries have kept him sidelined more than he’d like over the past two years.
At 32 years old, Cobb is on the final year of his contract, making him a free agent in 2023. The Packers have shown a clear interest in getting younger at receiver after drafting Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Samari Toure in this year’s draft, and that could mean that the team will part ways with Cobb for the second time this upcoming offseason.
Who Will Step In For Randall Cobb?
With Cobb going on injured reserve, the Packers have few options to replace him in the starting lineup. However, it does present a golden opportunity for one player in particular.
Second-year receiver Amari Rodgers has had a tough go of it in Green Bay. After catching just four passes as a rookie, Rodgers had a hard time seeing the field due to his mental errors on both offense and special teams.
Rodgers opened the 2022 season barely touching the field on offense, being primarily used as a return specialist. His spot on the 53-man roster appeared to be in jeopardy after the Packers signed veteran speedster Corey Ballentine to the practice squad.
However, with Cobb now out, the Packers may have no choice but to see what Rodgers can do in the slot against the Commanders.
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Packers Lose Another Wide Receiver to Injured Reserve