GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The injury that Randall Cobb suffered in the Green Bay Packers' last game before their bye turned out to be a core muscle injury that required surgery, a source told ESPN, and now the team believes he will miss several games, putting the rest of his season in jeopardy.

Cobb had the surgery last week and the hope is that he can return in time for the playoffs.

The veteran receiver, who returned to the Packers this season at the request of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, left the Nov. 28 game against the Los Angeles Rams at halftime.

Cobb was in the midst of his best game of the season, with four catches for 95 yards and a touchdown in the first half, when he dropped out with what at the time was described as a groin injury.

"Cobby's going to out for a while; he had a pretty significant injury," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Thursday. "That's unfortunate because I thought he has done such an amazing job when given the opportunity. We were talking about just his targets on third down alone."

Cobb ranked third on the team with 28 catches and second in receiving yards with 375 and is tied for the touchdown lead, matching Davante Adams' five. Twelve of Cobb's catches have come on third down, and 10 have been for first downs.

The Packers traded a sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans in July to reunite Cobb with Rodgers. The 31-year-old played his first eight NFL seasons with the Packers. He signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent in 2019 and with the Texans in 2020. He's the second major receiving target the Packers have lost this season after tight end Robert Tonyan tore his ACL on Oct. 28.

The Packers drafted Amari Rodgers this year as a potential slot receiver, but his role has been minimal in part because of Cobb's effectiveness in that position. While the third-round pick could see increased playing time, LaFleur suggested the Packers might be more likely to use Allen Lazard, Equanimeous St. Brown and even Adams inside.