Newly-rich Green Bay Packers receiver Randall Cobb has seen part-time duty on kick and punt returns over the past couple seasons. He shared punt return duties with defensive back Micah Hyde and took over kick return duties from the disastrous DuJuan Harris, in 2013.
Most assumed Cobb was done with that nonsense in 2015, both because of his fat new contract and because the Packers selected receiver/returner Ty Montgomery in the third round of the draft.
Maybe. Maybe not.
Cobb has been a regular fielding punts for the Packers both in minicamp and training camp. Coach Mike McCarthy says Cobb is still a strong possibility to remain a returner, particularly, it seems, on punts.
And that’s cool with him.
“Special teams is important,” Cobb said. “We understand offense puts the points on the board a lot of the times. Defense, they’re going to make the stops. But special teams, one play can change the outcome of the game.
“I feel like I can make a big return. We have guys that can make big returns as well, but we bring different kinds of return ability to the table.”
The argument against using Cobb on returns is it’s another chance to get him injured. Of course, he could just as easily get injured catching a pass, so that seems like a stupid argument.
The argument for it is that Cobb can indeed take one to the house at any time. He has two punt returns and one kick return that have gone for touchdowns in his career.
He hasn’t, however, had one of those in the past two seasons.
In fact, Micah Hyde has emerged as a better punt returner.
Hyde has a career average of 13.6 yards per punt return compared to Cobb’s 9.8. Hyde has three touchdowns to Cobb’s two.
Last season, Hyde averaged 15.8 and had two touchdowns. Cobb hasn’t had a punt return average above 10 yards since his rookie season.
So, yeah, Cobb has the ability, but is he the best option?
Statistically, he isn’t.
And that’s the reason the Packers should take Cobb off punt returns. Not because he might get injured.
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We should fire Mike McCarthy and go ahead and make Monty the new head coach of the Packers. Seriously, this guy has one brilliant idea after the next. Every week he finds the astronomical flaw that the team has and exposes it. No one has the brilliance or the courage it takes to do that!
I mean, who in their right mind would think that if Cobb has a great year returning punts, his average would go up? Clearly this is an impossibility. I mean, so what if he came close to breaking the all-purpose yardage record in 2012? Like, whatever man! MM may just be wanting to do everything he possibly can to give his team the best chance of winning, and even though the slightest of difference would have taken his team to the Super Bowl last year, he obviously has no idea what he’s doing.
Keep up the good work Monty! Don’t let anything slip past these poor excuse for NFL coaches! They’re crooks and they ought to be treated like it!
About the only upside of that change would be that the guy with the “MMTTSUCKDICK” user name wouldn’t have to change it.
I take it you are not voting for Monty in the next presidential election? He has a 3 point plan that’s gonna fix EVERYTHING including the Packers.
I’m ok with Cobb on returns, our depth at WR makes it easy to give him a break.
Lest another back or receiver can stand out vs Cobb on returns let him have the job.
Special teams have always been a struggle and I like the idea of putting a man back there at a position with depth than to worry about injury and put a guy who can’t get to the 20.
Oh and Lundberg go suck a dick or hit up another site ya twat.
I’ll do as I damn well please.
I would believe Hyde is the top punt returner. You do need a capable sure handed second punt returner and at this time that is probably Cobb. Who at this time is proven to be capable of handling punts in bad weather, or under the stress of game conditions except for Hyde and Cobb? It makes sense to have Cobb fielding punts in practice and in certain game conditions.
Maybe Montgomery or someone else will prove they own the punt return job in preseason. I would still make them prove how sure handed they are on kick returns during early regular season games, and bad weather games prior to throwing them into the fire on punt returns.
Hyde is too slow…
2 TDs on 14 attempts by Hyde was tops in the league last year. Of course he was tied with Darren Sproles who also had 2 Tds on 38 attempts. Hyde is fast enough and has the instincts to take punts to the house. That is fast enough for me, unless punters start catching him from behind.
Ball security is the big plus with Hyde and Cobb. Who else on the team at this time besides Hyde and Cobb have consistently shown they can secure the ball on punt returns in the regular season and bad weather games?
He sticks his foot in the ground and goes. His straight line speed doesn’t matter.
He has legs. One foot goes in front of other and he goes. Speed doesn’t matter.
Hey Packers, this guy who writes a blog on the Internets says he ain’t cool Cobb returning punts. He is the smartestest person in the universe of the NFL so you should listen. Better yet, you should hire and let make him the king of Lambeau. Thanks!