Dallas Cowboys: Randall Cobb return a benefit of Mike McCarthy hire?

The Dallas Cowboys hired Mike McCarthy as their head coach after almost a decade of Jason Garrett. That should all but stamp the return of Randall Cobb.

The Dallas Cowboys made a stunning transaction during this past week. Stunning isn’t too strong here, but allow me to explain why.

Although it was apparent and inevitable that a change would come, as far as the head man on the sidelines for the Cowboys, the actual guy that got the job was a bit of a shocker. Also, you have to include the fact that after it took a week or better to relinquish Jason Garrett, Mike McCarthy was in tow less than 36 hours later.

The last part that makes this stunning is because McCarthy is a brash seeming guy, the no-nonsense type from any and all parties, but is that suitable or adaptable for someone like Jerry Jones? The last one will eventually work itself out you would like to think, or end up like McCarthy’s tenure in Green Bay. Speaking of Green Bay though and to get to the real reason why we are here, the hiring of the former Green Bay coach should give us a leg up in retaining on of his former Green Bay players.

Randall Cobb signed with the Dallas Cowboys this past season after spending his first eight years in Green Bay. He was signed for what amounted to a deal worth five million dollars, a pretty efficient price for a veteran skilled position player of his ilk.

In this past season with the Dallas Cowboys, Cobb amassed 55 receptions on 83 targets, 828 yards, and three touchdowns while carrying a yards per reception average of 15.1 yards. To look at the numbers comparatively, they were right on par with his Green Bay days and even surpassing them in spots.

His yards per reception average was the highest of his entire career this season, while his total yards ranked fourth, with the third-ranked season being 2015 where he had one single solitary more yard than this year.

What also serves to make these figures so fascinating is the fact that he did this as the third receiver in Dallas, where he was at worst the number two guy in Green Bay, while he was often a 1A or 1B option there. You also love the fact that he played in 15 games this season for Dallas and although that isn’t a complete schedule of 16 games, he had only played 16 twice over eight years before this one.

It goes even further beyond the numbers for Cobb and his value to the Cowboys though. Yes, he was a safety and/or relief valve for Dak Prescott(as we said he would be) at times, as he had been for Aaron Rodgers for so many years prior to this one, but he also did something else in an elite fashion.

There were times where no other skill position player seemed as though they could get anything going, alas, Cobb would come through and make one or a series of big plays that either got the offense out of a funk, helped them to convert a big play or down, or simply allowed them to keep moving the ball.

The old notion is that when you have major talent, you don’t just let it walk out of the building. While Cobb shouldn’t command tip-top of the market money, he should be looking for a pay raise based on the combination of facts that he should have at minimal two more prime-ish years left, while he also showed his best stuff on the field this season as well.

Bringing in his old coach from Green Bay should give the Cowboys the leg up, if there is even a thought of his to leave or competition to sign him. Let’s hope so, because based on what we saw this past season, Green Bay was premature in their notion that he was gassed. 

In what world is it not best to have as many offensive weapons as possible? There isn’t one and McCarthy should know that, especially when talking about a familiar piece of artillery to him like Cobb. That is why I believe, he will be a major reason why the Cowboys have a chance to keep Randall Cobb in the fold and we sure hope that’s the case.