Why Randall Cobb was a great signing for the Dallas Cowboys

Former Green Bay Packer Randall Cobb is now with the Dallas Cowboys. With Cole Beasley off to Buffalo, Cobb could easily follow in his productive footsteps

After a rough start to the NFL free agency period for the Dallas Cowboys, they have finally started to make some noise. A great part of that ruckus was the signing of former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb.

The reactions were immediate, ranging from Cobb’s washed up to how’s he suppose to help fourth-year quarterback Dak Prescott when he couldn’t help Packers’ own passer, Aaron Rodgers. However, sometimes things are a lot more layered than they seem.

The initial thought one must come to when considering his time in Green Bay is that it was just that, Green Bay. Although it is moderately nice to begin the season, it is still a hundred percent an outdoors stadium and as the season moves past Week 3, it gets extremely cold. Yes, they are all football players, so that shouldn’t have prevented him from doing his job. But what it could absolutely do is effect a player’s production.

As Cobb heads to the friendly confines of AT&T Stadium, what should be expected from the once First Team All-Pro receiver? Quite a bit, if you watch the same NFL as everyone else.

Over his time in Green Bay, Cobb actually filled a number of roles. He was never truly an outside receiver as he lined up all over the field for the Packers at some point. They even went as far as to use him as one of their secondary options one year at tailback, with a few plays and packages of similar ilk built-in over the past few seasons.

This was mainly because Cobb is what you can refer to as a chain mover. Not that he isn’t able to score touchdowns as he has 41 over his career. But due to his versatility and skill set, Cobb is an absolute monster when it comes to converting on big downs for his team. As mentioned before, whether he lines up at the tailback, wing, slot, or any other position of the offense, he has mastered the art of getting open for his quarterback.

When searching for an explanation, you could point to Cobb’s knowledge and know how when it comes to manipulating space. You could also point out his understanding of leverage, the sidelines, and how defenses want to stop him. Whatever it is a testament to, it all boils down to him making windows when they aren’t always readily available to the quarterback.

Not only can Cobb still be a very productive receiver, he is a veteran presence in a locker room dominated by youth. He should be a calming presence where your main trio of Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Amari Cooper are all 25-years old or younger. It is also worth noting that not only is he a veteran in this game, but he is also a champion and although it was in his rookie season, he knows what it feels like and that matters.

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Outside of his overall effect on the team as a whole, the value Cobb presents for a young wide receiver core is immense. For Cooper, Michael Gallup, and the returning Allen Hurns, he could be something they have never had in their respective wide receiver room’s on any teams they’ve played for, a winner and respected veteran.

For someone like Tavon Austin, Cobb could be the key to finally help unlock all that potential explosiveness that got him to this point, after all he can be seen as a smaller, quicker, perhaps even more explosive version of the newest Cowboy receiver.

Lastly, and probably more important than anything, Cobb is another safety blanket for Prescott. With the re-addition of tight end Jason Witten, the team’s newest addition provides Dak with another break in case of emergency-type option on big plays, big downs, and simply when things need to go off script. This was the missing element for Prescott last season, his first without Witten, and that was an option he could count on when all else failed.

Say what you will about the Cowboys. Say what you will about Cobb. What you can’t say is that they aren’t trying. Because not only did Dallas go out and sign a very productive weapon, but they signed a weapon who absolutely fills a need and who can still scare defenses on all three levels.

Randall Cobb has been at his best when he isn’t the guy receiving double teams, and can eat single coverage alive. Between Cobb, Tavon Austin, Ezekiel Elliott, a rested Jason Witten, Amari Cooper, Allen Hurns, and the running threat that Dak Prescott always presents; this should be a very explosive offense. That is why this was a great signing for the Dallas Cowboys.