Packers’ Decision To Draft 3 WRs Could Impact Plans For Jordy Nelson & Randall Cobb?

 

Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com wonders whether the Packers’ decision to draft three receivers this year could ultimately impact their decision to keep both Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb long-term.

The Packers lost James Jones in free agency, but used a second-round pick on Davante Adams, a fifth-round pick on Jared Abbrederis, and a seventh-round selection on Jeff Janis.

Both Nelson and Cobb are entering the final year of their respective contracts and are clearly very important the Packers offense, even after drafting multiple receivers. While the Packers have had great success at developing receivers in recent years, it would be a tough call to allow either Cobb or Nelson depart via free agency next year considering how productive they have been for Green Bay.

Demovsky mentions that the Packers have plenty of cap space available ($14 million) to them right now that would allow them to address both players. Demovsky admits that while this situation i worth watching in the coming months, it’s more likely that the Packers were just looking to bolster their receiving corps after losing some big names in recent years.

Nelson, 28, signed a four-year contract worth $13.9 million that included just $5 million guaranteed with the Packers back in 2011. Nelson is set to make just $2.55 million this year.

Nelson’s three-year average stats include 67 receptions for 1,107 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns and that’s despite being four games due to injury and playing a seven-game stretch with guys like Seneca Wallace, Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn throwing him the ball.

Cobb, 23, will make just $812,648 for the 2014 season. He missed a number of games with a leg fracture last year, but in 2012, he caught 80 passes for 954 yards receiving and scored eight touchdowns.