NY Jets WR Randall Cobb might be a healthy scratch tonight

The NY Jets have elevated two players from their practice squad ahead of the team's Week 9 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football tonight, and one of those elevations could spell bad news for Randall Cobb.

The Jets announced on Monday that they had elevated offensive lineman Xavier Newman and wide receiver Randall Cobb from their practice squad — the same two players the team elevated last week.

Newman isn't a surprise, and the unsung hero of Week 8 is expected to serve as Joe Tippmann's primary backup at center. As for Taylor, his elevation is a bit more unexpected.

Taylor was elevated last week due in part to the likes of Cobb and Irvin Charles being out with injuries. Cobb and Charles are expected back this week, which makes Taylor's return intriguing.

It's very possible that Cobb finds himself as a healthy scratch this week.

The NY Jets might have benched Randall Cobb

Cobb was listed as questionable with a shoulder injury ahead of the team's Week 8 game against the New York Giants. While head coach Robert Saleh insisted after the game that Cobb was inactive due to injury, there may be more to that story.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport referred to Cobb as a healthy inactive before the games, implying that his absence was not injury-related. The Jets' decision to elevate Taylor again this week certainly suggests that as well.

Charles is expected to be active for special teams purposes. Taylor wasn't elevated just to be inactive. That means either Cobb will be inactive or the Jets will be dressing six wide receivers — something they haven't done yet this season.

Cobb's potential absence shouldn't be considered a surprise, given that he's been one of the worst players at any position in football this season. In six games, the longtime Green Bay Packers wide receiver has hauled in just three catches for 20 yards.

His 40 percent drop rate is more than double the drop rate of any qualified wide receiver in the NFL. He's Pro Football Focus' worst-ranked run-blocker at his position.

Cobb is also averaging a dreadful 0.17 yards per route run this season. That's the worst mark that any wide receiver in the NFL has had since at least 2007. That's how bad Cobb has been in 2023.

There's a good chance the Jets have finally replaced Cobb with rookie Xavier Gipson as the team's WR3 moving forward. Don't be surprised if Cobb is a healthy scratch for tonight's game.