It’s been an unusual start to free agency and the offseason for the Green Bay Packers.
No, not because they participated in the initial wave of signings, but because of who they signed. I’d be willing to bet no Packers fans had Nate Hobbs and Aaron Banks as the two “high-profile” free agents Green Bay would land during the legal tampering period.
Hobbs should be a solid addition at cornerback. He has primarily played in the slot throughout his NFL career but could shift to the outside as the Packers await word on Jaire Alexander’s future.
Banks is projected to start at left guard, with Elgton Jenkins sliding over to center. The Packers let Josh Myers walk in free agency—he signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the New York Jets—creating a void in their starting lineup.
The Packers also lost T.J. Slaton to the Cincinnati Bengals, Eric Stokes to the Las Vegas Raiders, and A.J. Dillon to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Despite those signings, salary cap expert Ken Ingalls still projects the Packers to have about $10.3 million in spending power. However, they can pull several financial levers to create even more space if needed.
Green Bay also has eight selections in the upcoming draft—one in each of the first seven rounds, plus a compensatory pick in the seventh.
Even with these assets, they still have key areas to address if they want to be taken seriously as Super Bowl contenders next season. The foundation is set, but without the right finishing touches, their championship aspirations could crumble like a poorly built house.
With that in mind, here are four positions they should target in free agency after the first wave has passed.
1. Pass Rusher
A pass rusher isn’t a single position, but the Packers desperately need to add one, wherever they line up.
Their defensive line tended to vanish in big games last season, leaving their cornerbacks stranded on a sinking ship as they struggled to cover wide receivers.
That’s unacceptable, considering how much draft capital the Packers have invested in their front four. Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, and Devonte Wyatt are all former first-round picks. On paper, this unit should be more than capable of delivering the pass-rushing punch Green Bay needs. Unfortunately, everyone underwhelmed throughout the 2024 season, leaving plenty of question marks heading into 2025 and beyond.
Green Bay missed out on all the marquee defensive ends at the start of free agency.
Josh Sweat signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Khalil Mack, Chase Young, and Malcolm Koonce returned to their teams. Haason Reddick landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dayo Odeyingbo joined the Chicago Bears.
The best defensive ends remaining on The Athletic’s Top 150 rankings are Za’Darius Smith at 22 (no thanks), Von Miller at 59, Azeez Ojulari at 82, and Dante Fowler at 96. That’s slim pickings—nothing that will strike fear into opposing quarterbacks.
As for the trade market, the only big name still available is Trey Hendrickson. He’s racked up a whopping 35 sacks over the last two years—compare that to Rashan Gary’s 39 career sacks in six seasons—and would immediately give Green Bay a legitimate difference-maker on the edge.
The Packers could gamble on a new position coach unlocking their first-round talent, but relying on untapped potential is a risky game. Instead, they should go all-in on adding a proven disruptor to the roster before their Super Bowl window starts to close.