It Looks Like The Packers Won't Re-Sign Randall Cobb

I believe the Green Bay Packers want to bring WR Randall Cobb back next season, but he's coming off a Pro Bowl season, not injury prone, and still young (age 25 next season). There aren't a lot of players available who have those three things going for them at any position, and he isn't a player the Packers absolutely have to re-sign at any price (though I'd like to see him back next season).

Not that McGinn is always right, but if he says "it appears as if Cobb will be playing elsewhere next season," well, that's not a good sign.
— Ol' Bag of Donuts (@olbagofdonuts) March 4, 2015

That tweet is reference to this article. This is almost feeling like a re-play of the Greg Jennings free agency experience of 2013. The Packers were willing to pay him, but another team was willing to pay him even more. Cobb's agent seems to believe there will be another team willing to pay Cobb more when free agency begins.

Cobb's a great free agent target under any circumstances because of what I wrote about above, but he's also clearly the top wide receiver available. Philadelphia's Jeremy Maclin is another good option. But after those two, you're left wondering if down years from Torrey Smith and Michael Crabtree were flukes or whether they will bounce back next season.

There are also a lot of teams with a lot of cap room available. Oakland's been mentioned because they have needs everywhere and former Packer executive Reggie McKenzie is their GM, but Jacksonville has almost $70 million available and they need everything too. Cleveland has $54 million available and a major need at wide receiver. Would a cap strap team like the Chiefs open up room to make a big offer to Cobb? Another former Packer, John Dorsey, is their GM and they desperately could use help at wide receiver. All it takes is for one of those teams to prioritize Cobb and blow the Packers's previous contract offers out of the water.

I've been pessimistic about re-signing Cobb for a couple weeks now, and I've seen nothing in the last couple days to make me feel better about it.