Randall Cobb is gone. Most saw this coming, and ultimately it's the best thing for the team's future. Significant investments were made in upgrading the talent level of the defense. The $5.5M the Dallas Cowboys gave Cobb would've eaten up most if not all of Green Bay's remaning money, which would've made no sense.

That won't make watching Cobb with a star on the side of his head any easier, that's for sure.

The reason that it was time to move on, is the depth of the receiver group in Green Bay. The Packers may not be "loaded" at the position, but there are already six in-house options that have at least showed something in an NFL game. Davante Adams is a superstar. If you question that now you're just not watching. Geronmio Allison is a solid if unspectacular option who was on pace to have a nice 2018 before an injury derailed his season. Jake Kumerow is potentially the most unreasonably popular Packers player since Jeff Janis and the Packers drafted three athletic stars in the 2018 draft in Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown and J'Mon Moore.

But can any of these guys play the slot? That's the position that Randall Cobb manned since being drafted by the Packers in 2011. It is not as important as some are making it out to be. The Shanahan/LaFleur offense is not the exact same thing as the McVay offense. McVay's offense is in 11 personnel almost exclusively. Don't get me wrong, the slot has a place in the offence, but there are plenty of two back sets and two tight end sets in LaFleur's system.

So who plays in the slot? That's what we're going to try and find out today:

Jimmy Graham

Jimmy Graham? The guy who everybody's mad at because he didn't produce last season and because he was soft in the run game? Yes, that Jimmy Graham.

Jimmy Graham & the lead blocking experience... Ugh Graham always struggled with fundamental football principles - pad level, hand usage, firing off LOS, running feet on contact... If you put him in positions to be successful - he can survive... But don’t ask him move/seal LBs pic.twitter.com/Xb89AjjH4x — Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) September 13, 2018

How about we do something sensible and detach an oversized wide receiver from the offensive line, stop asking him to block and make him..... an oversized wide receiver.

if he can stay mentally engaged (and the hell away from the offensive line) he's still big enough to box out corners and nickels. pic.twitter.com/blNyps3l4p — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

here he is matched up with Patrick Chung. It's not like he's way quicker than Chung, or way faster. He's just too damn big for Chung to go through and make a play on the ball. (perfect throw doesn't hurt either) pic.twitter.com/Hmc1IhBKqH — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

Ultimately though, Graham is at best a one year answer (and not a great one) unless he completely dominates the league in 2019. The Packers offense will need to find a long term answer. So who had the most slot snaps last season outside of Randall Cobb? One Marquez Valdes Scantling. MVS ran 220 slot routes a season ago.

Marquez Valdes Scantling

this is, of course, the place where MVS is extremely valuable in the slot. If the defender is going to play off, just smoke it out to him. He's too good with the ball in his hands. pic.twitter.com/hRSUSs1W9h — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

there's another example of MVS getting a free release from the inside corner. Guys just aren't going to be able to run with him if they don't have help on a two-way go. pic.twitter.com/D7rDa6Q3zR — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

The problem with Valdes Scantling, though, is that I honestly think he has a chance to be an outside receiver. He has all the athletic gifts in the world. No one questions that. If he can be a field stretching, 60-catch number two outside receiver, that carries more value than even an 80-catch slot receiver.

but ultimately his true ceiling, should he ever reach it, is the WR2 opposite Davante Adams. pic.twitter.com/MYjisj71m0 — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

and ultimately that holds more value than being the team's next slot receiver. So the search presses on. pic.twitter.com/6riEx625cn — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

which leads us to our next candidate:

Equanimeous St. Brown

St. Brown's best position has always been as a big slot. He's a good YAC guy, and presents a true matchup problem. He's too fast for linebackers and safeties and he's too big for nickelbacks.

which is where I believe you find your winner, @Equanimeous. St. Brown's best position I think has always been as a matchup problem "big slot". Think a more athletic Marques Colston. pic.twitter.com/mGDkEg9CTV — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

I totally understand that St. Brown doesn't have a receiver outside covering him up, but this is run from a slot's split, and he uses his position inside to set Waynes up for the outside break, turning him inside out. pic.twitter.com/1vtl2EUQh7 — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

boy @greggabe that Buster Skrine sure is far away from the guys he's supposed to be guarding pic.twitter.com/Wiay4VOH2w — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

at the end, EQ is the best option because you don't want to limit what you ask MVS to do and because EQ can excel at this. He's a big body that linebackers can't keep up with and that nickels can't match up with physically. pic.twitter.com/QyAj35Kiwx — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

St. Brown is your in-house winner. The best version of 11 personnel likely doesn't even have Jimmy Graham on the field, especially on early downs. The best receiver set the Packers can currently sport has Adams on the outside, the speedy MVS across from him and St. Brown putting in work on the inside. Of the options listed so far, St. Brown has the most yards per slot route run with 1.45.

BONUS: Davante Adams

I bet you didn't know Davante Adams was fifth in the NFL among qualified receivers in yards per route run from the slot. That number is better than either Stefon Diggs' or Adam Thielen's, and is also better than Golden Tate's, Julian Edelman, Antonio Browns' and Keenan Allen's.

BONUS: I bet you didn't know that of qualified players @tae15adams actually ranked 5th in the NFL in yards per route run from the slot, ahead of Antonio Brown, Diggs and Thielen, Golden Tate, Julian Edelman, and Keenan Allen with 2.42. pic.twitter.com/4IOUJvsEak — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

as they've shown in the past with Jordy Nelson and with Greg Jennings before him, if Green Bay really wants to win a matchup inside, they have no problem throwing their best guy out there. It's a new staff, but I'd be surprised if we've seen the last of Davante in the slot. pic.twitter.com/eTeIOVAiBD — Ross Uglem (@RossUglem) March 20, 2019

If the Packers really want to identify and inside matchup as something that needs to be exploited, they can do it with Adams. They did it with Jordy Nelson, with Greg Jennings before him and with Donald Driver before him. Sure, the offensive system isn't with the same coach but I think it's be very foolish to just assume Green Bay's WR1 will stop beating poeple from the inside.

Cobb's loss is more emotional than it is an acutal problem for the Packers. The new offense doesn't absolutely require a good one, and the Packers have a few fine options in house.

Goodbye, Randall, and thank you. Sincerely.