Rundown of the Green Bay Packers 23 Free Agents

Some difficult decisions lie ahead for Brian Gutekunst, Russ Ball, and this Green Bay Packers team.

Once again, the Green Bay Packers find themselves in a difficult salary cap situation, which is going to lead to some roster turnover–the question becomes, how much?

As we’ve discussed before, through contract extensions, restructures, and veteran cuts, the Packers have plenty of ways to create cap space, but as always, there is give and take. If they decide to re-sign Davante Adams, for example, who then can’t they re-sign? Or what other contracts have to be reworked? And who may end up being cut as a result?

Remember, if the Packers want to re-sign any of their free agents, they can, but there are tradeoffs and corresponding moves with every decision that has to be made, and for a Green Bay Packers team that I imagine is looking to stay competitive, that makes it all the more challenging.

Across the three free-agent designations — exclusive rights, restricted, and unrestricted — the Green Bay Packers have 23 free agents in total this offseason. Below we will highlight what each designation means, how it works, and which players fall into each category.

Green Bay Packers Exclusive Rights Free Agents

While this designation has the word free agent in it, there isn’t a whole lot of freedom that these players have. These are players with fewer than three seasons of accrued NFL experience, and as long as their current team offers them a league minimum contract, they don’t have any choice other than to accept the deal.

So for the eight exclusive rights free agents that the Green Bay Packers have this offseason, I think it’s safe to say that all will be retained given their low cost and the need to fill out a 90-man roster for training camp, and the preseason.

Yosh Nijman

Coming into the 2021 season, none of us knew where Yosh Nijman was at in his development, but it turns out he was pretty far along. Filling in at left tackle, Nijman was on the field for 590 snaps last season, allowing three sacks and 20 pressures, according to PFF ($$). He is certainly someone who could potentially play a bigger role in the future–perhaps at right tackle?

Malik Taylor

Taylor impressed on special teams as well as a receiver during the preseason and made Green Bay’s 53-man roster. He was the primary kick return man, where he underwhelmed and he also saw little action on offense. Taylor finished the season on IR. In terms of receivers under contract in 2022, the Packers have very few options at this point.

Randy Ramsey

Ramsey was the team’s fourth edge rusher in 2020 and a key special teams contributor, but he spent all of 2021 on IR after suffering a season-ending injury over the summer.

Krys Barnes

Barnes has his weaknesses, but when tasked with playing Robin next to De’Vondre Campbell’s Batman, he made plenty of plays as well. Barnes played 564 snaps and recorded three pressures, 86 total tackles, and allowed 8.7 yards per catch with four pass breakups.

Dominique Dafney

Listed as a tight end, Dafney brings versatility to the offense, lining up out of the backfield, inline, from the slot, and occasionally out wide. He caught two passes this season for 34 yards, but his primary responsibilities in the offense revolve around blocking.

Henry Black

Black was consistently the Green Bay Packers’ third safety this season, which came with its ups and downs. He also finished second in special teams snaps and first in special teams tackles by a fairly wide margin.

Chauncey Rivers

Rivers was signed over the summer, and with Za’Darius Smith on IR, he saw playing time, tallying 54 snaps and one pressure over the first four games–he was also a core special teams player as well. Unfortunately, an ACL injury in practice would end his season early on.

Jake Hanson

A second-year center from Oregon, to the surprise of many, Hanson was placed on the 53-man roster following the preseason. He saw six snaps over the course of the regular season.