The Green Bay Packers were facing a ton of pressure to improve the roster after flaming out in the wild-card round of the playoffs last season. Despite having a ton of quality depth in various positions, the Packers lacked truly elite talent, potentially limiting their ceiling as Super Bowl contenders. That is why Packers fans were hoping to acquire immediate impact players who would help them reach another level in 2025 and beyond.
The results have been a mixed bag. While Green Bay potentially drafted a true difference maker in Matthew Golden and bolstered their WR room by also selecting Savion Williams, the rest of their offseason was less convincing. Significant investment in free agency in offensive lineman Aaron Banks and cornerback Nate Hobbs left fans with more questions than answers.
How those contracts will age remains to be seen, but there was at least one deal that was signed by the Packers that has a chance to provide excellent value for the team.
Isaiah McDuffie's May Be the Best Contract the Packers Signed All Offseason
Isaiah McDuffie, coming off another strong season in Green Bay, signed a two-year, $8 million contract that can reach up to $9.5 million with the Packers. While this may not seem like the most eye-popping transaction, it is a bargain for a player of McDuffie's caliber.
At first glance, McDuffie doesn't pop immediately compared to players like Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, and Ty'Ron Hopper. However, McDuffie is extremely reliable and has proven to be hard to keep off the field thanks to his relentless play. He has improved every single season since being selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, gradually expanding his role and snap count.
Earlier in his career, McDuffie was one of the best special-teams players in the league, receiving an 88.5 special-teams grade per PFF in 2022. This helped him earn defensive snaps that resulted in him playing a career-high 64% of defensive snaps last year, putting up 97 tackles, three tackles for loss, and three QB hits.
McDuffie is not a perfect player by any means. But for a 25-year-old who has been consistent, reliable, and effective while improving every season, $4 million AAV is a no-brainer of a contract. In an environment where linebackers are constantly undervalued, the Packers may have found themselves an excellent bargain.