Green Bay Packers: 5 players who must improve

2. Randall Cobb

When faced with a choice of which wide receiver to cut ties with, the Packers got rid of Nelson and kept Cobb. Age was surely a factor, with Nelson on the wrong side of 30 and Cobb turning 28 in August, but Cobb’s decline in production over the last couple years has been as notable.

This side of Nelson, perhaps, no Packer was more negatively effected by Rodgers’ absence last year than Cobb. In the five games they played together start to finish, Cobb had 30 receptions for 302 yards and two touchdowns. In the remaining 10 games he played, all or mostly without Rodgers, Cobb had 36 catches for 351 yards and one touchdown. Across the board, Cobb’s per-game production was essentially cut in half with the downgrade to Brett Hundley under center.

With Nelson gone, Davante Adams will now ceremonially step into the role as Green Bay’s No. 1 wide receiver he already filled last year. But there’s also an opportunity coming for Cobb to re-emerge this year, with tight end Jimmy Graham the only other serious threat for targets, and he needs to reverse a three-year downward trend since he signed his big contract.