GREEN BAY -- A fan-favorite wide receiver appears to be returning to the Green Bay Packers.
Randall Cobb tweeted "I'M COMING HOME!" Wednesday morning as reports swirled that Green Bay was working to finalize a trade with the Houston Texans.
I’M COMING HOME! 💚💛 pic.twitter.com/qxSwkQo89f
— Randall Cobb (@rcobb18) July 28, 2021
Wednesday evening, the Packers confirmed the news in a statement:
"The Green Bay Packers have traded an undisclosed draft pick to the Houston Texans for WR Randall Cobb. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Wednesday.
Cobb (5-10, 195, 11th season), who was originally selected by the Packers in the second round (No. 64 overall) of the 2011 NFL Draft out of Kentucky, rejoins Green Bay after playing the past two seasons for the Dallas Cowboys (2019) and the Houston Texans (2020). For his career, Cobb has played in 130 games with 81 starts during the regular season, recording 563 receptions for 6,793 yards (12.1 avg.) and 47 receiving touchdowns while totaling 363 yards on 62 carries (5.9 avg.). He has also returned 76 kickoffs for 1,926 yards (25.3 avg.) and a TD as well as 93 punts for 866 yards (9.3 avg.) and two TDs. Cobb is one of 10 players in NFL history with at least 45 receiving TDs, one kickoff return TD and one punt return TD and is the only player in the NFL since 2011 to record 6,000-plus receiving yards and 1,500-plus kickoff return yards."
In eight seasons with the Packers (2011-18), Cobb appeared in 105 regular-season games with 73 starts. He ranks No. 7 in franchise history in receptions (470) and No. 12 in receiving yards (5,524) and receiving TDs (41). Cobb is tied for No. 6 in team history with five seasons with 50-plus receptions (2012, 2014-17). He also started 10 of 11 postseason contests he appeared in for Green Bay and ranks in the top five in franchise history in receiving TDs (five, tied for No. 4) and receptions (47, tied for No. 5).
On Monday, it was reported that Rodgers demanded a Cobb trade in order to return to the Packers. Less than 48 hours later, it looks like those reports may be correct.
Cobb was drafted by the Packers in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and went on to play eight seasons for the Packers before leaving in free agency in 2019. Since then, he's spent one season with the Dallas Cowboys and one season with the Houston Texans.
Cobb was selected to the Pro Bowl once, in 2014. That season saw the Kentucky standout rack up 12 receiving touchdowns, with an average of 80.4 yards per game.
Though Cobb turns 31 next month and may not be in 2014 form anymore, he should offer some valuable wide receiver depth on a team that sorely needed it throughout the 2020 campaign.
