The Green Bay Packers and the rest of the NFL are still a couple of weeks away from free agency, but the speculation machine is already running at full speed. Every option is on the table, and Brian Gutekunst has decisions to make.
With $22.5 million in functional cap space, according to Packers cap guru Ken Ingalls, Gutekunst has some financial flexibility—but how he uses it is another story.
Green Bay could take the safe route, spreading that money across multiple bargain-bin signings to plug roster holes. They could also go big and commit to one top-tier player, hoping that one difference-maker is enough to push them to the next level.
Or they could swing for the fences.
That last path is the riskiest—but also the most intriguing. Big money, big upside, big potential disasters. Some free agents carry real question marks, whether it’s injuries, inconsistency, or age, but if the Packers want to take a bold step forward, these five high-risk, high-reward players could be worth the gamble.
1. Will Fries, Offensive Guard
Green Bay will address the interior offensive line this offseason—one way or another. Josh Myers is an unrestricted free agent, and while the Packers will likely explore internal replacements, they could also look for outside help.
If they go the free agency route, Will Fries could be a high-upside target.
Fries is a classic underdog story—a seventh-round pick who worked his way into a full-time starting role with the Indianapolis Colts. And when he was on the field in 2024, he was elite. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the fourth-best guard in the league—a remarkable leap for a late-round pick.
But there’s a catch.
Fries played in only five games last season before fracturing his tibia, sidelining him for the rest of the year. That’s the risk.
Because of the injury, he won’t command elite money—creating an opportunity for Green Bay to land a top-tier lineman at a discount. But before pulling the trigger, they’ll have to dig into his medicals. If the injury is a one-time setback, this could be one of the best value signings of the offseason. If it’s the start of something recurring, the Packers could find themselves stuck with damaged goods.