Re-sign or Let go: Reevaluating Packers remaining free agents
By Paul Bretl
The Green Bay Packers entered free agency with 14 unrestricted free agents of their own. Now only seven remain unsigned after either returning to Green Bay or heading elsewhere.
Allen Lazard – Jets
Dean Lowry – Vikings
Robert Tonyan – Bears
Keisean Nixon – Packers
Corey Ballentine – Packers
Rudy Ford – Packers
Jarran Reed – Seahawks
Prior to free agency beginning, I went through my ‘Re-sign or Let go & Prediction’ series, taking a look at why the Packers would re-sign each free agent and why they would let them go.
So far, of the seven players that have signed, I predicted six correctly (Tonyan was the one I got wrong). But much like how ESPN allows you to create a new bracket once the Sweet 16 is set in college basketball, with new information and data available now that we are nearly a week into free agency, I’m going to make some quick predictions for the Packers’ eight remaining free agents. Most will stay true to my original predictions, but some will change, given what we know now.
Dallin Leavitt
Original prediction: Stay
Current prediction: Go
Leavitt was a core special teams player for the Packers but only had one defensive snap. With the re-signing of Ford and the new addition of Trevarius Moore at the safety position, another special teams ace, who also has experience on defense, Leavitt might be the odd man out.
The current safety room is made up of Ford, Moore, Darnell Savage, Tariq Carpenter, Innis Gaines, and James Wiggins. Not to say that the safety room is set by any means, whether it be free agency or the draft, I expect Green Bay to add at least one more player to this mix, but it is crowded.
Eric Wilson
Original prediction: Stay
Current prediction: Stay
Although Wilson didn’t join the Packers until a few weeks into the season, he finished second on the team in total special teams tackles while not missing any, and he also had a blocked punt. In fact, he was PFF’s highest-graded special teams player for the entire season. There has been a clear continued emphasis on special teams this offseason by the Packers, and with Krys Barnes not returning, it opens up a roster spot at linebacker.
Marcedes Lewis
Original prediction: Go
Current prediction: Go
I always thought – and still do think – that if Lewis wanted to be back in Green Bay, the Packers would happily have him. But ultimately, I predicted that he would either retire or join Aaron Rodgers, and I still feel that way.
Randall Cobb
Original prediction: Go
Current prediction: Go
Similarly to Lewis, and perhaps even more, Cobb’s future always seemed tied to Aaron Rodgers. With Rodgers eventually heading to the Jets, my guess is that is where Cobb ends up as well. It’s already been reported that the Jets are interested.
Mason Crosby
Original prediction: Go
Current prediction: Stay
This is a tough one. You can read more here, but in short, moving on from Crosby at this time does make sense, given his declining leg strength, which is evident on kickoffs and field goals over 50 yards. However, at the combine, several Packers reporters in attendance left with the impression that Crosby would be back after speaking with Brian Gutekunst. Although there are reasons that moving on makes sense, finding a new kicker is no easy task – just look around the NFL – and having a reliable option is particularly valuable when you also have a first-year starting quarterback.
Adrian Amos
Original prediction: Go
Current prediction: Go
SI’s Bill Huber would report that the Packers do have some interest in re-signing Amos. However, I’m going to stick to my original prediction, primarily for salary cap purposes. As I wrote originally, if the Packers were going to re-sign Amos, doing so before February 20th made the most sense, considering that was the deadline to push out the cap charges from Amos’ void years with an extension.
But instead, since no extension was reached, $7.9 million in dead cap will be on the books this season, regardless of whether Amos is in Green Bay or playing elsewhere. If bringing him back was the goal, why not come to an agreement before taking on that large of a dead cap charge? PFF also projects Amos to earn $6.5 million per year on his next contract, and I do think that is just outside the Packers’ price range.
Justin Hollins
Original prediction: Stay
Current prediction: Go
I’m very torn on this one. On the one hand, the Packers very much need to bolster their edge rusher depth, and Hollins performed quite well in a rotational role last season. However, this is a loaded draft class at the edge rusher position, and given Green Bay’s cap restraints, I’ll guess that they tackle this need in the early rounds of the draft.