Packers mailbag: free agency targets, buyer beware, and perfect scenario for Green Bay
Free agency starts next week, so that obviously is the big topic of the moment for Green Bay Packers fans. Who the team should, for sure, but also who Brian Gutekunst should not add to the roster. So let's go. I would love to sign complementary players, fixing needs to free up the draft to […]
Free agency starts next week, so that obviously is the big topic of the moment for Green Bay Packers fans. Who the team should, for sure, but also who Brian Gutekunst should not add to the roster. So let's go.
I would love to sign complementary players, fixing needs to free up the draft to get the most talented players regardless of position. So in free agency, it's important to add two safeties, and my priorities would be Xavier McKinney, Quandre Diggs, Geno Stone, and Jordan Fuller.
At linebacker, I don't think spending too much is a good process. So Jordyn Brooks is a possibility, but if the market goes up for him, Malik Harrison is an interesting alternative because he played for Jeff Hafley at Ohio State.
Saquon Barkley is a perfect match alongside Aaron Jones, but cheaper options are D'Andre Swift and Antonio Gibson.
Well, that's actually a good exercise. Even though I suggested Saquon Barkley, I don't think the Packers will pay big money to another running back because Aaron Jones is already expensive. So that probably excludes Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, and Austin Ekeler as well. Those athletic but not sound linebackers like Patrick Queen and Devin White shouldn't be on their radar either.
In 2019, the Packers needed a quicker fix because the last few classes of Ted Thompson had been really bad. In 2015, in particular, it had been awful, so Green Bay had more cap space without internal players to extend.
Now, the Packers have a comfortable situation cap wise, but they don't need building blocks in free agency. So I expect activity, but more on the second wave, with complementary pieces, and not many splash signings.
I mentioned Malik Harrison, because he worked with Hafley and would be an interesting fit to the new defense. Another interesting name is Jerome Baker, who was a solid off-ball linebacker for the Miami Dolphins and played under Anthony Campanile, who's now the Packers linebackers coach and run game coordinator.
It's also important to keep an eye on players who had solid performances on teams with similar schemes, like safeties Kareem Jackson (Houston Texans) and Tashaun Gipson (San Francisco 49ers).
I still think the Packers need an X receiver to put the WR room in an ideal spot, so Brian Thomas Jr. and Keon Coleman would be interesting and realistic options. But as Brian Gutekunst doesn't tend to like receivers that high, my perfect target is cornerback Terrion Arnold.
Yes, I do think cornerback is a need, because hope is not a plan, and the Packers can't plan on having Eric Stokes at his 2021 level at this point. Plus, depth is always a consideration in the secondary.
Finally, cornerbacks usually fall off a cliff after six or seven seasons, and Jaire Alexander is entering his seventh year in the NFL.
That would probably be signing Saquon Barkley, Xavier McKinney, Jordan Fuller, and Jordyn Brooks. And I see Jon Runyan as a much better player than Sean Rhyan, so re-signing him makes sense. With all these moves, the glaring needs are filled, and Gutekunst would have complete freedom to find the best available players in the draft.
Packers couldn’t be happier with free agency trends
Safeties, linebackers, and running backs are not expected to be expensive
