Dallas Cowboys: Can Randall Cobb still be a star wideout?

The Dallas Cowboys have added quite a few new faces for this upcoming season. Can one of those new faces get back to his old level of play?

While the Randall Cobb and Dak Prescott combo may be taking off according to reports, there are still quite a few uncertainties surrounding one of the newest Dallas Cowboys. Even though the veteran wide receiver’s skill set and experience seem tailor-made to fit with his new quarterback, there are still revelations that need to be made.

Not only would Cowboy supporters like to see if Cobb can make a meaningful contribution every Sunday, but some and especially this one in particular,  are wondering whether he still has any of that star power left from his Green Bay days.

One reason for the question is the fact that during last season, Cobb’s numbers weren’t quite the same as they had been over the previous seasons. The first thing to look at when thinking about his production though is the fact that he only played in nine games for the Green Bay Packers last season due to injury.

Even in those nine games however, his production seemed to be very see-saw like, up and down to be precise. His 38 receptions were the third lowest of his career, with his only other two with that few being back in 2013 where he only caught 31 passes and his rookie season of 2011, where he only had 25 receptions.

Although his receiving yards and yards per reception didn’t take that much of a hit based on estimating out to a full season in comparison to previous seasons, his touchdown count was at the 2nd lowest of his career with just two. This was only beat out by his rookie year again, which was a season that he only got in the box on one occasion.

Another potentially telling stat was the fact that he had the second lowest catch percentage of his career at 62.3 percent, with the lowest being 61.2 percent in 2015. Something else that really makes these numbers stand out is the fact that although 2015 was a lower percentage, he had two times as many targets and receptions that year, which meant that he was still way more reliable based on volume in 2015.

One of the last things to consider when thinking about what Randall Cobb still has to offer is the fact that he did have to navigate the emergence of quite a few players that stole away his touches and playmaking opportunities.

The emergence of wide receiver Davante Adams, running back Aaron Jones, and running back Jamaal Williams definitely didn’t help his production. They are all players who can do similar things that Cobb can do, even though neither one of them individually can do all that Cobb can do.

It is with these facts in mind that the question is again posed, can Randall Cobb still be a star wideout in the NFL? The answer is yes and here is why.

Although the Cowboys seemingly loaded up with weaponry to add to their offensive artillery cabinet, Cobb has a certain Liam Neeson in the Taken series type thing working for him. As mentioned when referencing that no one on the Packers was as versatile as Cobb was, he has a particular set of skills that could help him return back to stardom with the Cowboys. Because these particular skills fit so well with what Dak excels at, he should have an immense opportunity to do so.

Where Prescott excels on the move, particularly in rollout situations, Cobb’s ability to shadow the quarterback as he did so often for Aaron Rodgers should make for a pretty impeccable connection between the two. Along with his mere versatility in all facets of the receiving game, he has a very uncanny ability or knack for knowing exactly where the goal line or first down sticks are, which makes him an ideal fit along with any offense and especially one with threats at all three levels.

Where Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup should do most of their damage on the third level of the defense and Jason Witten should still be able to fluently operate in the middle of the field on the second level, Cobb should be able to destroy defenses on the first level with underneath receptions. These factors should set up for Cobb to have somewhat of renaissance season with Dallas this year.

While injury, the emergence of younger players, and the bitter cold of playing outdoors at Lambeau may have spelled the end of his reign as a star player for the Green Bay Packers, Cobb should still have plenty left in the tank for the Cowboys.

While his role is still somewhat unknown, because no one has ever seen Randall Cobb play a down with the Dallas Cowboys in a real game, the previously mentioned deployments should fit the bill for what is to be expected from him as a Cowboy. If Cobb can fill and dominate in those areas that were mentioned, he has a great chance to return to stardom and especially because he would be producing at a high level for America’s Team, one that’s always at the epicenter of the professional football world.