The Green Bay Packers may not be a better team now than they were six months ago, and that's never where you want to be at this point in the offseason. They didn't have that many needs to address, but that makes it somewhat more frustrating.
General manager Brian Gutekunst has never been one to make big splashes in free agency. He's more about building through the NFL Draft, being patient, and making minor moves to get marginally better. That was the case again this offseason.
Some hoped that he would follow that huge Micah Parsons trade with another league-shattering move in free agency. Instead, he saw multiple stars leave and did little to replace them. Considering that, it's not much of a surprise to see FanSided's Cody Williams give this team a 'C+' grade for their 'tepid' free agency.
Packers' 'tepid' free agency draws negative review
"Worst Move: As always, a tepid free agency class," Williams wrote. "... It's often difficult to be overly positive about this team's offseason simply because they don't operate much at all in free agency. And after losing the likes of Quay Walker and Romeo Doubs, there are some real questions about this roster entering the 2026 season. "
Truth be told, it's hard to disagree with that assesment. Yes, they signed Benjamin St-Juste at a great price, and he might solve their cornerback issues by taking Carrington Valentine's spot. But other than that, they didn't do anything to move the needle.
The Packers lost Elgton Jenkins and Rasheed Walker, but they kept Aaron Banks. They're now banking all hopes on Jordan Morgan to turn things around overnight and finally live up to his status as a former first-round pick, but that might be just wishful thinking.
They also lost their backup running back to the Seattle Seahawks, letting Emanuel Wilson walk away in free agency and hoping that, this time, MarShawn Lloyd can finally stay healthy. Once again, that's as good as praying.
Last but not least, the Packers are just hoping that Micah Parsons can wreak havoc on his own once he's finally ready to take the field again. Otherwise, they would've brought some competition for Lukas Van Ness, who's also coming off an injury and has yet to live up to the standards of a first-round selection.
Granted, trading for Javon Hargrave was a solid move, but even that comes with some concerns. The Packers thrived under Jeff Hafley as defensive coordinator, and it feels like going from him to Jonathan Gannon is a step back.
All things considered, it's hard to feel as optimistic about this team in 2026 as the fans may have been last season. The status quo didn't work, and the front office's determination to keep doubling down on Matt LaFleur and his overly conservative play-calling might doom this team again this season.
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