Cobb, Crosby Among Packers’ Unsigned Free Agents

Here is a fresh look at Green Bay Packers free agency, with Mason Crosby, Randall Cobb and Adrian Amos among the players looking for homes.

Author:
Bill Huber
Updated:
Mar 25, 2023 4:15 PM EDT
Original:
Mar 24, 2023

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Randall Cobb wants to play in 2023. Will it be with the Green Bay Packers, who could use his veteran presence? Or will it be with the New York Jets at the request of Aaron Rodgers?

A second-round pick by the Packers in 2011 who returned to Green Bay at Rodgers’ urging in 2021, Cobb ranks fifth in franchise history with 532 receptions. He’s not the unstoppable dynamo that he was in, say, 2014, and he missed 14 games the past three seasons, but he remains an effective role player.

According to Pro Football Focus, Cobb in 2022 caught 70.8 percent of passes thrown his way, averaged 12.3 yards per catch 5.6 yards after the catch and 1.67 yards per route, and had two drops (5.6 percent). Those numbers were close to his career marks of 73.1 percent completions, 12.1 yards per catch, 6.0 YAC, 1.68 yards per route and a drop rate of 7.7 percent.

Cobb was on Rodgers’ New York wish list, which was not to be confused with a demands list.

“Did they ask me about certain guys that I’ve played with over the years? Of course. Did I talk glowingly about teammates that I love? Yeah. Why wouldn’t you?” Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show. “Do I love those guys on the list? Of course. Did I make demands about certain people? People just want these things to be so true. I’m in this meeting, dressed in ceremony regalia giving them some sort of handwritten on parchment demand list of people they need to sign.

“Listen, I think objectively people can look at Allen Lazard and go, ‘He’s a really good player. We would love to have him on our team.’ And then anybody with a brain would maybe call me from any team and go, ‘Hey, what kind of locker room guy is Allen Lazard? What’s his work ethic like?’ And I’d say, ‘He’s a … great dude. Anybody would be lucky to have him in the locker room.’”

The Packers might want him, too. At the Scouting Combine, general manager Brian Gutekunst spoke of his desire to have a veteran receiver on the roster. As it stands, the five receivers under contract include four 2022 draft picks and a first-year player.

“It’d be nice to have a guy that can continue to help move those guys along as well as a veteran presence out there,” Gutekunst said. “I think that’s important.”

Here is an updated position-by-position look at the Packers’ 14 unrestricted free agents. That list includes the Packers’ all-time scoring leader, kicker Mason Crosby.

Receivers – Signed: Allen Lazard (Jets); Unsigned: Randall Cobb

Lazard, who led Green Bay in receptions in 2022, signed a four-year deal with the Jets that averaged $11 million per season and could net the Packers a fourth-round compensatory pick. Lazard presumably will join Garrett Wilson as top targets for Rodgers.

“He works out the same place I do,” Lazard said during his introductory news conference. “We were able to cross paths and just connect a little bit on what we were thinking and everything, but there was no trying to do this in a sense. We were both trying to do what's right for the both of us, and his situation is a little bit different with his career and everything and where I want to take my career and the next step. Sitting here today, obviously, it feels good ‘12’ is going to be my quarterback again.”

Tight ends – Signed: Robert Tonyan (Bears); Unsigned: Marcedes Lewis

The free-agent case for Lewis is an interesting one. The Packers, obviously, are going young on offense and this is a strong draft class of tight ends. On the other hand, with the team transitioning to Jordan Love at quarterback, a powerful running game would be especially useful. Blocking is the strength of Lewis’ game.

The Jets expressed interest in Lewis, too, but they’re pretty well set at tight end with Tyler Conklin and CJ Uzomah.

The longer Lewis remains unsigned, the greater the odds that he’ll remain a free agent until after the draft, at which point teams and Lewis will consider their options.

Tonyan, who among tight ends was No. 1 in catch percentage (84.1) and drop percentage (one; 1.9 percent), returned to his native Illinois on a one-year deal with the rival Bears. With the 2021 ACL injury a year in the rear-view mirror, he hopes to parlay this contract into something bigger next offseason.

Defensive line – Signed: Dean Lowry (Vikings), Jarran Reed (Seahawks)

Reed, who provided some juice on the pass rush, and Lowry, whose consecutive-games streak ended in January at 101 games, played almost 1,200 snaps last season. While not great players, that’s a huge void. Kenny Clark and the unproven tandem of Devonte Wyatt and TJ Slaton are the only defensive linemen on the roster who’ve played in a game. Expect the Packers to draft a player and add a low-cost veteran.

Both players will bring back compensatory picks in 2024.

Outside linebacker – Re-signed: Justin Hollins

Claimed off waivers just before Thanksgiving, Hollins provided quality depth following Rashan Gary’s torn ACL. Back on a one-year contract, Hollins, Gary, Preston Smith, and Kingsley Enagbare will provide a quality four-man rotation though a big-swing draft pick could be on the way.

Inside linebacker – Re=signed: Eric Wilson

Signed off the Saints’ practice squad on Oct. 4 following their trip to London, Wilson made his Packers debut in London the following week. Even while not playing a full season, he tied for the team lead with 13 tackles on special teams. The Packers did not retain Krys Barnes, so there was a spot on the roster for a linebacker - especially someone proficient on special teams, which has been the team's offseason direction.

Cornerbacks – Re-signed: Keisean Nixon, Corey Ballentine

Nixon changed the season and the state of Green Bay’s special teams, which is why he’s back on a one-year deal that’s worth $4.25 million with incentives that could push the value to $6 million.

Getting his first shot in Week 6, Nixon led the NFL with a 28.8-yard average on kickoff returns. Among players with at least 20 runbacks, he led the league by 2.5 yards over Minnesota’s Kene Nwangwu and 4.7 yards over the third-place returner, Cleveland’s Jerome Ford. He also averaged 12.7 yards per punt return. Had he had enough returns to qualify among the leaders, he would have ranked second.

Safeties – Unsigned: Adrian Amos, Dallin Leavitt: Re-signed: Rudy Ford

Will it be Darnell Savage and Ford starting at safety in Week 1? Or will Amos return for a fifth season? The standout veteran remains a free agent, though he visited with his hometown Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. Amos, who will turn 30 next month, started all 71 possible games (playoffs included) in four seasons in Green Bay and set a career high in tackles in 2022.

In his first five seasons, Ford had one interception, three passes defensed and six starts. Picked up from Jacksonville at the end of training camp, Ford had three interceptions, three passes defensed and six starts. He is fast and physical.

Leavitt, who joined special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia after spending the past few seasons with the Raiders, is unsigned. The Packers might have signed his replacement with fellow safety Tarvarius Moore.

Kicker – Unsigned Mason Crosby

Crosby has scored a franchise-record 1,918 points – more than the next two players on Green Bay’s career list combined and threatening the NFL’s top-10 list. General manager Brian Gutekunst thought Crosby’s leg issues last year stemmed from offseason knee surgery rather than age.

Kicking in the deep-freeze cold of Lambeau Field is different. In January home games (regular season and playoffs), Crosby is 27-of-30, or 90 percent. During those same games, opposing kickers made 27-of-36, or 75.0 percent.

The thought was Crosby’s future was tied to that of Rodgers. Would the Packers really reload for another shot at a championship with an unproven kicker? That seemed unlikely. With a new quarterback, it might time for a new kicker, as well.