Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst will have difficult days ahead. Not only does he have to resolve the Aaron Rodgers situation, but he also needs to:
- Try and improve a roster
- Handle a $40 million salary cap overage
- Decide the future of 23 free agents, including 14 unrestricted ones
Let’s look at each of them, their status, and what the Packers should do.
Unrestricted Free agents
An unrestricted free agent is a player whose contract has expired and has at least four accrued seasons in the NFL. They are free to sign with any team, and the original franchise has no preference to re-sign them. Their only recourse is to use a franchise or transition tag, which teams can only use once per season.
Players the Packers should keep
Davante Adams is the elephant in the room here. He’s been the best wide receiver in football for the last two years, and a new contract might be tied to Aaron Rodgers’ decision. We already touched on Adams’ situation last week and addressed the four scenarios for his relationship with the Packers.
Two of the other priority free agents for Green Bay are on the defensive side of the ball. The Packers brought in De’Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas in a bargain in 2021, and they paid huge dividends. Campbell filled a need that resulted from Green Bay’s long-term approach of going cheap with the inside linebacker position. But he played out of his mind, surprising even the most optimistic Packers fans and ending up a first-team All-Pro.
Now, one year removed from giving him a $2 million contract, the Packers are going to have to pay much more if they want to keep him. But unless there is a monster offer waiting for Campbell on the open market, Green Bay would be wise to invest in Campbell, a leader and difference-maker for the team.
It might be more straightforward with Douglas. The cornerback was turning into a journeyman when Gutekunst signed him after Jaire Alexander‘s injury. But he became a centerpiece of the Packers’ secondary, with five interceptions and a 73.5 PFF grade. Rasul had had five interceptions throughout his entire four-year career before that. Although the Packers have Alexander and Eric Stokes, Douglas proved he can be an essential depth piece.
The Packers have two other unrestricted free agents they should re-sign. Corey Bojorquez, the punter Green Bay traded for before Week 1, had a solid first season with the Packers. And Lucas Patrick is a versatile and inexpensive interior offensive lineman who has experience starting at guard and center.
If the price is right
The No. 1 player to keep if he doesn’t price himself out of Green Bay is wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling – especially if Adams leaves. The 2018 fifth-round pick has never put up incredible numbers, but he has always been a chess piece for the Packers offense because he is the only weapon on the roster able to beat defenses over the top with his blazing speed.
The Packers also missed Robert Tonyan during the playoff meltdown. He played in 2021 under the restricted free-agent tender extended to him last offseason, but he is unrestricted now and might get more expensive. However, he’s recovering from an ACL injury, so Tonyan may consider re-signing with the Packers on a one-year prove-it deal and returning to the market in 2023.
Edge defender Whitney Mercilus offers a challenging evaluation for the Packers. After being released by the Houston Texans, he joined the team and played well in a short stretch before suffering a biceps injury. Mercilus, who came back to the game against the San Francisco 49ers but had little impact, could be a solid depth option – especially if they let one of the Smiths go. But defining his price isn’t an easy task.
Kevin King is far from a fan favorite, but he improved in 2021 after a terrible 2020 season. Additionally, the Packers can save money keeping him, as they could keep the prorated signing bonus given to him last offseason spread.
Other depth options that could return are wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, linebacker and special teamer Oren Burks, and slot cornerback Chandon Sullivan.
Let ’em walk
Offensive tackle Dennis Kelly and defensive lineman Tyler Lancaster were depth pieces in 2021 but wouldn’t have much space in 2022. Kelly was brought in as a swing tackle but played poorly in the playoff loss. The Packers should get David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins back from injury, so offensive line depth is less of a concern – unless they decide to cut ties with right tackle Billy Turner for cap reasons.
Lancaster has been a decent rotation DL player for the Packers during his four-year career, but it’s hard to imagine giving him a bigger contract because he should be easy to replace.
Restricted FA
A restricted free agent is a player whose contract expires and has three accrued seasons under his belt. Allen Lazard is the only player on Green Bay’s roster who fits that definition.
An undrafted player who signed with Packers off the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad in 2018, Lazard accrued seasons in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Now Green Bay has the option to tender him and/or to extend him long-term.
Projected restricted free-agent tenders:
- Right of first refusal: $2,433,000
- Original draft round: $2,540,000
- Second-rounder: $3,986,000
- First-rounder: $5,432,000
Because Lazard is undrafted, the original round tender is out of the equation. Any other possibility is on the table. If the Packers extend him a tender, he is a restricted free agent.
He might sign the tender and play one more year for the Packers, going back to the market next year, as Tonyan did last season. But he can also receive an offer from other team. In this case, Green Bay could match the offer and sign Lazard long-term or receive the due draft compensation.
In another scenario, the Packers to give an outright long-term offer and keep him. If the Packers don’t tender Lazard, he would become an unrestricted free agent.
Exclusive-Rights Free agents
An ERFA is a free agent who has fewer than three accrued NFL seasons. If the original team tenders him, he has to sign the tender or he can’t play in the league because he has no right to negotiate with other teams.
The price is low because the ERFA tender is equivalent to the NFL minimum salary. It varies between $705k and $965k depending on the player’s experience. If the team doesn’t apply the tender, the player becomes an unrestricted free agent and is allowed to sign with any other franchise.
It’s safe to assume the Packers will keep all of its ERFAs, at least enabling them to compete for jobs during training camp. If the Packers cut them, there are no guarantees left, so it’s smart to bring them back.
The list of ERFAs is formed by linebacker Krys Barnes, safety Henry Black, tight end Dominique Dafney, center Jake Hanson, offensive tackle Yosh Nijman, edge defenders Randy Ramsey and Chauncey Rivers, and wide receiver Malik Taylor.
