Nine days ago, Aaron Rodgers was traded to the Jets.
Today, Rodgers welcomes to New York his former teammate and close friend, Randall Cobb.
On a scale of 1-10, how surprised are you?
An unrestricted free agent, Cobb was free to negotiate with any team when the free agent window opened in March. I’m guessing there weren’t many conversations.
Is Cobb still an NFL caliber player at the age of 32? I think so.
Would Cobb be the apple of the Jets eye if Rodgers didn’t lobby for him? Absolutely not.
Cobb might play 7 games or 17 games. It really doesn’t matter. Cobb’s role is to be Rodgers’ best friend in the locker room and produce when called upon.
The same situation is playing out in Milwaukee with the Bucks.
Would Thanasis Antetokounmpo be on the Bucks roster if his brother wasn’t? Would he even be in the NBA? The answer to both questions is “no”.
To the Bucks, big brother is more valuable than a late second round draft pick or waiver claim.
Thanasis is an extension of Giannis. He’s the only player who can also play Big Brother, and production is secondary.
The same can be said for Cobb. Rodgers has his best friend, locker room confidant, and someone who will no doubt make getting through the grind of an NFL season easier.