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Starter Pack: Contract weighed on Randall Cobb early on

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GREEN BAY, Wis. – Maybe it was Randall Cobb that Aaron Rodgers was speaking to when he said, "R-E-L-A-X."

The Packers receiver admitted Thursday that he was pressing early in the year and now finds himself in a much better frame of mind.

And it has shown in his production.

The game after Rodgers' decree, Cobb had a breakout performance with seven catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns in a win at the Chicago Bears. In his last four games, Cobb has 21 receptions for 326 yards and five touchdowns. No receiver in the NFL has more touchdown catches in that stretch (teammate Jordy Nelson also has five), and only eight players have more receiving yards in the last four games.

For the season, Cobb has eight touchdowns, matching his career high in just seven games. No NFL receiver has more at this point. Only tight ends Antonio Gates and Julius Thomas, with nine touchdown catches each, have more than Cobb.

"The mental side of things is very important," Cobb said. "I think I was pressing a little bit too much early on this season, trying to do too much instead of just being myself and doing what I do. Just relaxing and playing ball."

Cobb said there could have been myriad reasons why he was pressing. Chief among them likely was his contract situation. He's in the final year of his rookie contract and knows a big year could mean big money either from the Packers before free agency or another team on the open market.

"I mean, it definitely had something to do with it," Cobb admitted. "But I think I found peace mentally, and that's the biggest thing, having that peace and being able to not worry about those things."

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