3 pivotal questions about Packers’ free agency
The Green Bay Packers are at a potential turning point. They’ve largely run back the same team for the last few years with diminishing results. Should they try again, hoping for a different outcome, or blow it up?
A large part of that answer will be given based on how they address free agency. They must first get into legal standing with the salary cap before the new league year starts on March 15th. That should hint at what they’re thinking for the rest of the offseason.
The Packers also have several of their own free agents about to hit the market, including several of Aaron Rodgers’ favorite teammates. How they handle those players will give us another hint. Overall, there are three pivotal questions Green Bay must answer heading into free agency that will have a snowball effect on the rest of their offseason.
Here are three pivotal questions the Green Bay Packers need to answer about their future heading into this year’s free agency.
How much money will Packers kick down the road to create immediate space?
The Packers’ are stuck in a nasty cycle where they are forced to create cap space every offseason. This usually includes restructuring veteran contracts to create immediate room, but increasing their cap commitments in the future, adding void years, or signing someone to an extension.
Green Bay began using void years as a tool last offseason and owes $16.4 million on the cap in 2023 to players who aren’t under contract. They could’ve pushed that further down the road, but the fact they let that hit their cap space shows they may be ready to pay the piper. Still, they must cut money off this year’s cap to operate under the NFL rules and sign draft picks. We’ll see how they manage that.
Which Packers will they re-sign in free agency?
After the Packers create cap space, they’ll have major decisions on free agents of their own to make. Many of their guys are veterans who might not be part of the long-term plan if they are rebuilding. On the other hand, locker room culture is important and Green Bay has a lot of veterans who positively contribute to it.
As it stands, here are their current free agents:
- Adrian Amos, UFA
- Dean Lowry, UFA
- Mason Crosby, UFA
- Marcedes Lewis, UFA
- Robert Tonyan, UFA
- Allen Lazard, UFA
- Randall Cobb, UFA
- Jarran Reed, UFA
- Dallin Leavitt, UFA
- Rudy Ford, UFA
- Eric Wilson, UFA
- Justin Hollins, UFA
- Keisean Nixon, UFA
- Corey Ballentine, UFA
- Yosh Nijman, RFA
- Krys Barnes, RFA
- Tyler Davis, RFA
How will Packers address its biggest needs in free agency?
The Packers have several needs they’ll have to address this offseason, including wide receiver, tight end, interior defensive line, edge depth, and safety. Will they try to fill any of those voids in free agency? Their contract sheet is a mess, but several high-risk, high-reward candidates are available.
Next. 5 Packers on hot seat entering offseason. dark
Whichever needs they don’t address in free agency, they’ll likely touch on in the NFL Draft. They hold the 15th overall selection and eight total picks as of now. They’ll likely add to that total with three projected comp picks.