Packers Free Agency Thread

[BrewerFan]

I know there's an all-encompassing off-season thread, but hopefully, there will be some good news in the next ~12 hours on here, so I made a thread specific to Free Agency.

A couple of indications the Packers plan to be aggressive(aside from Gutekunsts first couple of years until the Packers' cap situation got flipped upside down by Covid) he was aggressive in addressing weaknesses via free agency.

-Kyle Fuller-4/55 offer Sheed
-Allan Robinson -3/42 offer(choose the Bears instead in what invariably turns out to be a GREAT decision for both QBs and WRs).
-Jimmy Graham-3/39...didn't say they were all bangers, but he was a pretty good player for 2 years...albeit significantly overpaid.

Next year

Za'Darius, Preston, Adrian, Billy Turner, Veldheer

Since then it's been lower-cost additions like Campbell, Nixon or re-signing players like the two mentioned and then Rasul.

 

Another indication is that Campbell is being cut with a post-June1 designation. That, Gutey, the Preston restructure and then the top 51 leaves them with about 45M in cap space not counting the draft, a Jordan Love extension, but certainly leaves them with a lot of money to sign.

Finally, He's also been very clear about his belief that this team is a very real SB contender this next year...and given the youth and how they looked the last half of the season, with a new defense, a couple impact FAs and then 5 top 100 picks, you should be aggressive(not stupid, just aggressive). 

Obvious targets are Safeties.

LBer-There are not many who seem to fit. Jerome Baker being the obvious. Eric Wilson is a priority to bring back, so I'd guess he'd come back as I don't imagine his agent's phone is ringing off the hook.

https://packerswire.usatoday.com/lists/picking-a-pair-of-realistic-free-agents-for-packers-to-sign/?itm_source=parsely-api

 

The marquee FAs listed here are Kamren Curl in one and then Kenny Moore, a very good slot in another.

 

The price for Packers fans seems to be Xavier McKinney(though again, I think Curl would be a huge coup). 

My prediction is one of the top FA safeties at least. McKinney/Curl plus a guy like Fuller, Whitehead, Blackmon.

I think Kenny Moore is going to be very expensive, but he'd be a big upgrade. 

Prediction -We re-sign Nixon
Sign Xavier McKinney and Fuller, to solve the safety issue.
And then a big box safety/LB Drue Tranquil would qualify IMO.
3rd-A wild card. A DT, an Edge, a position nobody thought we'd go after....maybe an edge like Huff? 

It's certainly exciting to have a reasonably high degree of confidence that Gutey will go out and make this team better in free agency though. The one missing ingredient from the Ted Thompson era. 

The one VASTLY underrated player in the Packers world is Kamren Curl. A big, physical safety who can play CF. He does not generate a lot of turnovers, but he'd just be reliable and a little more explosive than Adrian Amos when we signed him. 

4/60 would be a good signing to get the production we got out of Amos IMO. 

I also believe Savage will be back if he's not signed in the first couple weeks. This defense should showcase his skill set much better.

 

[DR28]

Well goodbye Jones.... We're signing Josh Jacobs, like *** is going on here.

[patrickgpe]

20 minutes ago, DR28 said:

Well goodbye Jones.... We're signing Josh Jacobs, like *** is going on here.

i think dillon is gone, not necessarily Jones. Jones and dillon are similar type backs. I didn't see the money, but I'm assuming its more that the 3/24 swift and pollard got. 

[HarryDoyle]

13 minutes ago, DR28 said:

Well goodbye Jones.... We're signing Josh Jacobs, like *** is going on here.

Jones isn’t going anywhere. This is a great pick up by Gute to pair a two headed monster. Dillon is for sure gone.

[adambr2]

Yeah I don't think this means the end for Jones at all. The Packers prioritize the position and I could easily see them wanting the possible 2 headed monster at RB with JJ and Jones. 

Jacobs is much more similar to Dillon than Jones, although much better than Dillon. JJ and Jones can complement each other well. 

[patrickgpe]

2 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

Yeah I don't think this means the end for Jones at all. The Packers prioritize the position and I could easily see them wanting the possible 2 headed monster at RB with JJ and Jones. 

Jacobs is much more similar to Dillon than Jones, although much better than Dillon. JJ and Jones can complement each other well. 

Jones has one year left and you have one year to go before you have to pay Love. Might as well go for it while you can fit 2 start RB's under the cap. 

[Fear The Chorizo]

Love the move to sign Jacobs provided Jones sticks around, too.  This is the year to do this type of move!  

[OldSchoolSnapper]

This is wild if both are healthy in the playoffs. To be able to run constantly with one of those two guys is bonkers. Holy cow.

[Joseph Zarr]

Just seeing this thread. Will continue posting FA items here:

 

JRJ signs w Giants

 

[Joseph Zarr]

WOOF. This One came outtta left field. Ouch!

 

[patrickgpe]

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/darnell-savage-agrees-to-three-year-deal-with-jaguars

[patrickgpe]

2 minutes ago, Joseph Zarr said:

WOOF. This One came outtta left field. Ouch!

 

thats too bad, the thought of that 2 headed monster made for a fun afternoon :)

[adambr2]

Man that's really too bad. Loved the Jacobs signing when I thought we'd have both, not so much now. 

[HarryDoyle]

11 minutes ago, patrickgpe said:

thats too bad, the thought of that 2 headed monster made for a fun afternoon :)

Afternoon? Try hour.

[OldHeidelberg]

What a crazy day so far. MLF likes big running backs so not surprising they got younger and bigger at the position. I still hope Jones just wants to retire a Packer and comes back. 

[bjkrautk]

EDIT: Busy day.  McKinney fits the scheme, and will be the single-high safety in the new defense.  Jacobs will also be a major addition, though it hurts to send Jones on his way a year too early.

[HarveysWBs]

When Gute has money in his pocket and decides the team needs a shot in the arm (or even both arms), he doesn’t  wait around. Still more work to do, but the draft picture got clarified a bit today.

[patrickgpe]

4 minutes ago, bjkrautk said:

EDIT: Busy day.  McKinney fits the scheme, and will be the single-high safety in the new defense.  Jacobs will also be a major addition, though it hurts to send Jones on his way a year too early.

they got their guy. he seemed like their top target. 

[MrTPlush]

I would imagine Aaron Jones is good as gone. He isn't that different than Jacobs...and is certainly not as young and probably worse for injuries. Why spend the money on him at this point, honestly? 

[BrewerFan]

2 hours ago, patrickgpe said:

they got their guy. he seemed like their top target. 

I wouldn't be surprised to see them go and get another FA safety. 

2 hours ago, bjkrautk said:

EDIT: Busy day.  McKinney fits the scheme, and will be the single-high safety in the new defense.  Jacobs will also be a major addition, though it hurts to send Jones on his way a year too early.

He's just about the perfect fit. 

They still have to find another safety who is capable of playing that single high as well though. Jordan Whitehead? Justin Simmons? Still think it'd be a good idea to double up on this position, but it's HUGE that they got their primary target.

[BrewerFan]

2 hours ago, OldHeidelberg said:

What a crazy day so far. MLF likes big running backs so not surprising they got younger and bigger at the position. I still hope Jones just wants to retire a Packer and comes back. 

I like Jacobs and Wilson...not sure I love Jacobs at 4/48, and I get why they had to let Jones go. 12M in cash to a 30-year-old back is a lot...but he carried this team down the stretch last year. He was a leader and a lot of what he did was hard to quantify as we heard in Love's interview with Parsons(which is still a bit weird). 

Really hope the Packers can add a smaller, more elusive back or they can improve their IOL run blocking. 

 

Also, I've been on the OT in Rd1 bandwagon for a while, but IF they do draft Cooper DeJean, this secondary could look REALLY good for Hafley. OL is going to be key regardless of what they do at LT.

 

[BrewerFan]

3 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Just seeing this thread. Will continue posting FA items here:

 

JRJ signs w Giants

 

17M GTD? 

The Giants doing Giants things. 

I am curious what Connor Williams would cost? Probably a signing for later in FA(maybe Sept). 

To give JRJ a little benefit of the doubt, he was reportedly injured late last year and that was the reason behind the split snaps with Rhyan(at least that' what Peter "We're not the same," Bukowski said). 

 

[LouisEly]

Between releasing Campbell and Jones (not counting Bakh because it was kind of a given that he would get released), the Packers have saved over $22M in cash that they're parlaying into signing bonuses for McKinney and Jacobs.

I'd say that's a net positive.

[BrewerFan]

6 hours ago, patrickgpe said:

i think dillon is gone, not necessarily Jones. Jones and dillon are similar type backs. I didn't see the money, but I'm assuming its more that the 3/24 swift and pollard got. 

Jones and Dillon are similar backs?

I read that as Jacobs and Dillon. I don't think Dillon and Jones are similar at all. Dillon has poor vision and patience. Jones was an elite back. Very much like Blake Corum for example(a guy I'd take a look at in rd4). 

I really hope they do add a HR threat in this draft. A guy like Bucky Irvin perhaps. Wright may go too high(Brooks would be a really interesting option if they wanted to move up from #88 to ~65 if he's still on the board). 

 

[patrickgpe]

13 minutes ago, BrewerFan said:

Jones and Dillon are similar backs?

I read that as Jacobs and Dillon. I don't think Dillon and Jones are similar at all. Dillon has poor vision and patience. Jones was an elite back. Very much like Blake Corum for example(a guy I'd take a look at in rd4). 

I really hope they do add a HR threat in this draft. A guy like Bucky Irvin perhaps. Wright may go too high(Brooks would be a really interesting option if they wanted to move up from #88 to ~65 if he's still on the board). 

 

Yeah I meant Jacobs and Dillon are similar backs. Obviously jones and Dillon are not. I agree I think they will draft a guy like corum to complement Jacobs