CULVER CITY, Calif. -- These are good times to be Randall Cobb.
The Green Bay Packers wide receiver, just 23, has established himself as one of the game's best young playmakers. Now he enters a 2014 season that doubles as a contract year. A huge payday awaits Cobb if he reaches free agency in full health. Will the Packers let him sniff the open market?
That contract situation was a topic when we caught up with Cobb on Tuesday at NFL Network studios. Have the Packers reached out about a new deal to replace the rookie deal he signed in 2011?
"Not that I know of," Cobb said. "My agent hasn't mentioned it to me, so I don't know if there's been any talks."
Unless Cobb's representation is inappropriately secretive, you can safely assume a discussion hasn't happened. Cobb said his preference is to sign a long-term deal with the Packers.
"I would definitely love that," he said. "But unfortunately that won't be my decision. That will be on the team to come to me with that decision."
"I would love to get it out the way and not to have to worry about any of the conversations or answering any questions during the season that would take away from what we're trying to do as a football team."
The Packers have some decisions to make at wide receiver. We're sure they'd like to keepJames Jones this offseason, but that doesn't appear feasible with both Cobb and Jordy Nelson entering the final year of their current deals.
Cobb is a No. 1-type receiver just now hitting his prime years. If Green Bay doesn't lock him up, there will be no shortage of suitors more than willing to make the receiver unconscionably wealthy next winter.
The latest "Around The League Podcast" discusses controversial draft prospects Johnny Manziel and Jadeveon Clowney and reviews the offseason forecasts for the St. Louis Rams and Carolina Panthers.**
