What team would you imagine our guys could join and slip into the nr. 1 receiver role? I don't think that any of the guys on our roster have the ability to carry a receiving group, to get bracketed and still produce, to be that one receiver you throw to out of desperation and still have a good chance of him coming up with it...
I agree with you that Cobb has made some amazing progression, but he doesn't look like that X or Z guy to me who'd I'd like to see as my leading receiver.
I think that Jones, Nelson and Cobb would all start for just about any team in the NFL, but they wouldn't be the vocal point of the offense. Not the main targets.
Originally Posted by: Rockmolder
Jets (Santonio Holmes), Bills (Steve Johnson), Dolphins (Brian Hartline), Browns (Josh Gordon), Jaguars (Laurent Robinson), Titans (Kenny Britt), Raiders (Denarius Moore), Chargers (Malcom Floyd), Eagles (DeSean Jackson), Redskins (Pierre Garcon), Rams (Danny Amendola), & Seahawks (Sidney Rice).
Those are the definite teams off the top of my head. I believe there's another half a dozen worth debating. For example, I think Cobb and Nelson are better than Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith. The game is changing. You don't need an outside threat as your go-to guy. Teams are attacking the middle of the field with a slot-man. The Packers have done so the better part of the last six years with Greg Jennings. Take 2010 as an example. Green Bay won a Super Bowl that year with Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, and James Jones.
Jermichael Finley was hurt and Donald Driver was well on his way in decline. You're telling me that the drop off from Jennings to Cobb is that significant.
I don't agree with that. The only thing Jennings does significantly better than Cobb is route running, which he's among the best in the league at doing. Cobb is more explosive, though.
Two years ago, Jordy Nelson had an amazing season. Pro Football Outsiders actually rated it among the best of all-time. People seem to forget about it.
Favre's stints with Walker and Sharpe always come to mind for me. Favre was always good with his bunch of decent wide receivers, but in the small portions of time that Sharpe and Walker were absolutely dominant, it changed everything. Those "dumb throw to nowhere" became catchable balls with those guys. The nr. 1 CB all of a sudden had something to worry about and defenses had to pull a safety to one side. It just changes the entire offense.
Originally Posted by: Rockmolder
This is not the history I remember. Sterling Sharpe retired after the ‘94 season, which was Favre’s first really good year. Following that season, Favre won his three MVP awards with Robert Brooks and Antonio Freeman as his go-to receivers. The Packers also had outstanding tight ends in Mark Chmura and Keith Jackson.
Javon Walker had one 1,000-yard season with the Packers. It came in ‘04, which was a typical Favre season under Sherman. He threw a lot of touchdowns, but also a lot of interceptions.
Regarding the draft, this draft is thin at wide receiver. I don't think there's one player that comes in and makes an immediate impact. I guess maybe Patterson, but any selection of a wide receiver is part of the long-term future of the Packers. You trade up to draft Patterson, and you're preparing for when Nelson and Jones depart when their contract is up. In other words, it's an economic argument, which to Ted Thompson’s credit, I think he saw coming when he drafted Randall Cobb two years ago. Just substitute Player A for Cobb and Nelson or Jones for Jennings. That’s where I think wide receiver enters the radar.