4 Salary Cap Conscious Free Agents for Packers to Sign at Key Positions

Again, it will be an offseason where the Green Bay Packers do not have a ton of flexibility in free agency, with the salary cap limiting them. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t positional needs that have to be addressed.

As of now, the Packers have $6.4 million in available cap space after restructuring the contracts of Aaron Jones, Jaire Alexander, and Preston Smith. The good news is that there are a few other restructure candidates still available for Green Bay, along with an extension for Rashan Gary that can help create cap space. But there are also additional expenses coming down the pipeline that will eat up cap space, including cap space needed for any free agent signings, the draft class, the practice squad, and dollars for in-season spending.

This likely means that there won’t be any big splash free-agent signings. Rather, these additions will bolster the depth and provide some veteran experience at positions where it’s needed. If Green Bay is going to rebound in 2023, the biggest improvements are going to have to come internally, with key players elevating their games or through the draft, although most rookies are very inconsistent.

So while none of the four players highlighted below are game-changers by any means, and these additions shouldn’t impact whether or not Green Bay addresses these positions in the draft, they can provide some veteran stability for the Packers at positions where that is very much needed.

Duron Harmon, S

Spotract Contract Projection: $2.9 million per year

PFF Top-100 Free Agency Ranking: No. 97

Positional Need: Missed tackles and coverage breakdowns were far too prevalent for the Green Bay Packers at the safety position in 2022. In addition to the more reliability and playmaking that is needed, the Packers also need to bolster their depth as well, with Darnell Savage being the only player on the roster with any significant NFL experience.

What to Know: Harmon has played on three different teams in each of the last three seasons but has been durable, totaling over 1,000 snaps in each of those years. He’s taken the bulk of his snaps at free safety, while in coverage last season with Las Vegas, he allowed just 10.5 yards per catch with two interceptions and two pass breakups–not to mention that Harmon had the 12th highest coverage grade from PFF at the safety position. He was also a reliable tackler, with only five misses on 60 coverage attempts.

Larry Ogunjobi, IDL

Spotrac Contract Projection: $3.4 million per year

PFF Top-100 Free Agency Ranking: No. 85

Positional Need: The Packers have Kenny Clark, and it’s time for Devonte Wyatt and TJ Slaton to take on larger roles, but the interior defensive line is a frequently rotated position, and Green Bay needs a fourth member of that group. The play of the interior defensive line in the final weeks of the 2022 season was vital to the defense’s success during that stretch, both against the run and in getting after the quarterback. However, this was a very inconsistent unit overall.

What to Know: Ogunjobi spent his first four seasons with Cleveland, 2021 with Cincinnati, and 2022 with Pittsburgh. Since 2018, he has played at least 600 snaps each season and has lined up primarily in the B-gap, although he does have some flexibility to be moved around. With the Steelers, Ogunjobi generated 30 pressures and seven tackles for loss. Out of 114 eligible interior defensive linemen, he ranked in the top 50 in both pass rush productivity and win rate–not bad for a player who would be the Packers’ fourth option. Ogunjobi also ranked 34th out of 152 players in PFF’s run-stop rate metric.

Parris Campbell, WR

Spotrac Contract Projection: $2.5 million per year

PFF Top-100 Free Agency Ranking: No. 83

Positional Need: Wide receiver is a position where the Green Bay Packers need more experience. With how the roster is currently constructed, second-year receiver Romeo Doubs is the most experienced player on the team, with 529 NFL snaps. A veteran presence in the locker room, in the film room, and on the practice field can be valuable. This free-agent addition would hopefully provide some reliability as well, with even second-year players still going through ups and downs.

What to Know: Campbell was a 2019 second-round pick by the Colts and had a slow start to his career, with only 50 targets over his first three seasons. However, 2022 was a breakout year for him, as he caught 74% of his 85 targets for 623 yards and three touchdowns. Campbell lined up primarily in the slot and was targeted near the line of scrimmage in an effort to get him the ball in space — something Matt LaFleur can help with — with an average depth of target of over just six yards. By PFF’s grading system, Campbell has been an average run-blocker.

Hayden Hurst, TE

Spotrac Contract Projection: $6.8 million per year

PFF Top-100 Free Agency Ranking: No. 75

Positional Need: Much like safety, the Packers need depth, reliability, and some playmaking at tight end. Josiah Deguara is the only player on the roster who has any NFL snaps, while in 2022, the Packers’ go-to option at tight end in the passing game, Robert Tonyan, ranked 34th in yards per catch. Many of this year’s playoff teams had a tight end playing a key role in the passing game.

What to Know: Of the four players listed, Hurst is projected to have by far the biggest contract. But perhaps through a multi-year deal or with void years, the Packers could keep his cap hit down. In his first season with Cincinnati, Hurst caught nearly 80% of his 82 targets at 8.5 yards per catch with three touchdowns. He is also a willing and capable blocker.

That ability to affect the game both as a pass-catcher and a blocker would help LaFleur with disguising plays. Green Bay’s tight end room in 2022 had very defined roles, with Tonyan being primarily used as a pass catcher, while Marcedes Lewis and Josiah Deguara were used primarily as blockers. Hurst would provide that pass-catching and blocking versatility, while an early-round draft pick on a rookie would hopefully add the needed playmaking.

All contract projections courtesy of Spotrac.com, and free agency rankings from PFF.com