The Green Bay Packers were already thin in the wide receiver room, and depth at the position took another big hit this week.
Veteran wideout Randall Cobb could be headed to the injured reserve list (IR) after sustaining an ankle injury during a game against the New York Jets on Sunday, October 16. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur spoke to Cobb’s condition during a media session on Monday.
“It’s not going to be like a one-week deal or anything like that,” LaFleur said. “I think he’s going to miss some time. But he definitely avoided a serious injury.”
Considering the circumstances surrounding Cobb’s ankle issue, the news could have been worse. The 32-year-old had to be carted off the field and was visibly shaken up on the ride back to the locker room. He is expected to miss between two and four weeks.
Cobb Suffers Latest in String of Injuries to Packers Pass Catchers
GettyWR Randall Cobb of the Green Bay Packers runs after a catch during a game against the New York Giants at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 9, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Cobb’s exit from the lineup, however long it lasts, is going to hurt a Packers’ offense that has struggled mightily this season to move the ball through the air and consistently find the end zone. Furthermore, the loss of Cobb is compounded by the adjacent injuries in the wide receiver room.
Sammy Watkins remained on IR as of Monday, though he will be eligible to return this week should the hamstring that landed him there prove healthy enough for his re-activation. Whether Watkins can play Sunday against the Washington Commanders, or how much he can play, won’t likely be known until this weekend.
Christian Watson flirted with the IR last week due to a hamstring issue of his own, though the rookie receiver was able to avoid the designation — at least for now. But Watson was forced to sit against the Jets, the second regular season game he’s missed through six weeks after he was sidelined for much of the preseason due to knee surgery.
Green Bay’s lack of depth led to targets for both Amari Rodgers and Juwann Winfree, which serve as just the most recent signs that the Packers require a talent upgrade at the position if they hope to make a serious run through the NFC.
Packers Must Add Talent, Depth to Receiver Room
GettyWR Allen Lazard of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with fans after scoring during a game against the New York Jets at Lambeau Field on October 16, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Allen Lazard has proven the most consistent of targets for quarterback Aaron Rodgers thus far this year, though he also missed a game — the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings — due to his own ankle injury.
Through Week 6, Lazard leads the Packers in receiving with 285 yards and four touchdowns. Cobb is second on that list with 257 yards, per ESPN. Rookie Romeo Doubs is off to a decent start to his NFL career with 234 yards and two touchdowns, but even if he and Lazard continue to produce moderately and Watkins returns healthy, the Packers appear short at least a playmaker or two at the position.
Green Bay has a little less than two weeks before the league’s November 1 trade deadline to make a move for another wideout. The team has also been linked to free agent Odell Beckham Jr., who is expected to be ready for a return to the field next month following an ACL tear he suffered during the Super Bowl in February.
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Packers Lose Another Wide Receiver to Protracted Injury