The big wave of free-agent signings has come and gone. Kenny Golladay signed with the New York Giants. Will Fuller made his way to Miami. Joe Thuney will be protecting Patrick Mahomes. Trent Williams is returning to the San Francisco 49ers.
You get the point. Most of the big names are spoken for.
The Green Bay Packers were able to find a way to bring back Aaron Jones on a very team-friendly four-year deal jam-packed with tons of team options after 2021. With the roster still incomplete, here are three names the Packers should target if they can create some cap space:
Richard Sherman
While he’s not the shutdown corner he once was, the 32-year old Sherman still brings it every week. He long tortured the Packers when they’d play the Seattle Seahawks back when the Legion of Boom was a thing. Now he’s a free agent. He won’t be overly expensive, and most teams will probably be looking at a short-term deal.
This is where the Packers swoop in.
It’s hard to imagine any team going through a rebuild will bring in Sherman. But he’s a perfect fit for a team trying to win now, and the Packers fall into that category. They resigned with flexible team options, and their failure to restructure Aaron Rodgers‘ contract makes the window to win seem even smaller.
Green Bay has Jaire Alexander, one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Outside of that, it’s brutal. Kevin King is a free agent. The once highly thought-of Josh Jackson was a healthy scratch much of the second half in the 2020 season. We all saw the corners outside of Alexander get exposed against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship.
Sherman would offer immediate stability opposite Alexander. If Sherman is going ring-chasing at the tail end of his career, Green Bay would be a perfect fit.
T.Y. Hilton
Another veteran in his 30s, Hilton is still floating about in free agency. He hasn’t been linked to many teams yet, and the opportunity to strike could be perfect for the Packers.
Like the cornerback spot, Green Bay has one superstar in Davante Adams at wideout and then some lesser pieces behind him. It’s worth noting the depth at wide receiver behind Adams is far better than the depth behind Alexander at cornerback. Packers fans have longed for the front office to add legitimate talent at the wide receiver spot, and Hilton would help fill the void.
Hilton started 15 games last year and hauled in 56 catches for 762 yards and five touchdowns. While he’s not the go-to option he once was, he wouldn’t need to be in Green Bay. He would be a solid No. 2 option at wideout.
Sammy Watkins
Did someone mention it would be nice for Green Bay to add another receiver? Can I interest you in some Watkins on a very team-friendly, short-term deal?
The big worry with Watkins is the injury history. He hasn’t played a full 16-game season since his rookie year in 2014. Despite the injuries, Watkins can still fly down the field and stretch it vertically. He’s a good home-run threat whose speed got overlooked in Kansas City because they have Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman. But make no mistake, Watkins can still scoot.
Bringing in someone like Watkins would divert attention from the other receivers, notably Adams. And if teams still want to shift all the focus on Davante, that’s fine, but Watkins can take the lid off a defense.
Another wideout whose market value has remained in question, Watkins may be had at a lower price than you might think. It feels like he’s been in the league forever, but Watkins is just 27 years old. He has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Any moves Green Bay is able to make would be largely contingent on their ability to free up more cap space. Outside of re-signing Jones, they haven’t done a single thing in free agency because they can’t. We will see what tricks Brian Gutekunst and Co. have up their sleeve in the coming weeks.
