Before Aaron Rodgers agreed to return to Green Bay this season, he had a few demands that he wanted the team to meet and one of those demands called for the Packers to pull off a trade for Randall Cobb.
The Packers wanted Rodgers back, so they gave into his demand and made a trade for the receiver, who was playing for the Texans at the time. So far, the Rodgers-inspired trade is looking like a smart deal. Since the start of training camp, Cobb has apparently been the one receiver who has been consistently wowing Rodgers.
During a recent interview on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the reigning NFL MVP described how well Cobb has been playing in practice.
“There’s been so many moments throughout camp where you’re like, ‘Whoa,'” Rodgers said. “Like, ‘Whoa, that was really [f——] smart,’ or ‘Whoa, that was an amazing play,’ or ‘Wow, he’s still athletically super-gifted,’ or ‘I’ve never seen a shallow cross run that precisely.'”
Cobb doing something amazing has apparently become a daily occurrence at Packers training camp.
“There’s been like one thing every single day that he’s done that a lot of people have said, ‘Wow, that’s why 12 wanted him so bad. That’s why he’s going to be an important part of what we’re doing,'” Rodgers said. “We need him, 100 percent.”
The Packers let Cobb walk in free agency back in March 2019 to save money and to get younger at the position. Rodgers wasn’t happy with the move at the time, which is why he insisted that on the trade that brought Cobb back to Green Bay.
During his final five seasons with the Packers (2014-18), Cobb averaged 752.4 yards and 5.6 touchdowns per year. If he matches those numbers in 2021, it will make Rodgers look like a genius for bringing him back.
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One thing Rodgers isn’t worried about is putting pressure on Cobb. The quarterback doesn’t think Cobb will feel any extra pressure to perform even though he’s only in Green Bay because of Rodgers.
“Those types of [crappy] opinions don’t matter. I’m not worried about Randall,” Rodgers said.
As for the other receivers, Rodgers seems more than happy with his top-four guys: Davante Adams, Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Cobb.
“I think Allen has had a great camp,” Rodgers said. “I think Marquez has a had a great camp. I feel really good about our first four.”
Rodgers confidence in the Packers receiving group is likely one big reason why he sees this season as a “Super Bowl or bust” year for Green Bay.