Or do we sign a FA that comes in at a more reasonable price?

Pats let Welker go and signed Edelman. There is nothing preventing us from financially setting ourselves a budget that we are willing to spend up to for that WR position.

There are a lot WRs available in FA so we should not have to bend over to anyone's demands unless we think that only Randall can get us back to the Superbowl. I don't think that is true.

Originally Posted by: TheKanataThrilla 

True, there are a lot of WRs available but I don't know why anyone would prefer a lesser talent. None of the WRs available are as good as Cobb is at what he does. I know, I know, Aaron will make anyone just as good if not better so it really makes me wonder why they gave Nelson 9 million a year when they could have let him walk and gotten somebody who would have been just as good for half the price.

Originally Posted by: sschind 

There are different levels of player between as good as Cobb and some nobody. Look what Denver got out of Emmanuel Sanders this year for an example. I've seen very few people say any of the things you keep attributing to people but by all means keep saying them like that's what everyone thinks.

Originally Posted by: steveishere 

Interesting tid bit in the franchise tag and TT.
2005 he tagged Bubba Franks transition tag
2008 Corey Williams franchise tag and then traded.
2010 Ryan Pickett franchise tag

Now on Cobb we do need him because we have nothing behind Nelson. Nelson does seem to get injured and I wouldn't feel comfy with the likes of Adams abby and janis.

Originally Posted by: dhazer 

If you are referring to the "Aaron makes em all better" type stuff I have seen a lot of it and I am not saying everyone thinks that because there are a lot of people who agree that it is important that we resign him. Obviously they don't think that.

To me it comes down to how much are you willing to gamble on being able to find a guy to replace him. If we can find a Sanders great but for a few million more, which I think we can easily afford, we don't have to take the chance. I'd gladly pay 9 million per year to know we won't have to worry about our WR corps for the next 3 years and we can focus on other areas as opposed to saving 6 million and have it be one of those areas that needs addressing.

Originally Posted by: sschind 

The franchise tag generally means overpaying, because it's based on the top 5 at that position. Is Cobb a top 5 talent? Hardly. Specifically, this year the tag for a WR is expected to be about $13 million. At that point why NOT give him the $9 million he wants? Because he's not worth $9 million.

Again, he's a good player, but to say we have nothing behind him is not true. With Nelson drawing the bulk of the best coverage, Adams will certainly fill the bill, plus the WR class is deep this year...my own "mock draft" on the other thread shows we could easily grab the kid from UCLA and there were other options available as well.

How easily do you replace a Bulaga or Williams? Not as easily as you replace Cobb. Like I said, he's a second receiver.

Originally Posted by: OlHoss1884