Here Are the Green Bay Packers’ Unrestricted Free Agents for 2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Saturday night’s playoff loss at San Francisco wasn’t just the final game of the season for the 2023 Green Bay Packers.
“This is a special group and one of the tough things about the National Football League is that group will never be together again as a team,” coach Matt LaFleur said.
NFL free agency will begin on March 13. With the in-season contract extension given to outside linebacker Rashan Gary and a young roster on the offensive side of the ball, Green Bay does not have a lot of key free agents.
The position with the most pending free agents is on the offensive line.
According to Overthecap.com, the Packers are tight against the estimated cap of $242 million. In reality, just to get the draft class signed and without making any moves in free agency, they’re about $7 million over the cap.
Here is a look at Green Bay’s free agents.
Quarterback
None
The Packers have no pending free agents at quarterback. Jordan Love could be a candidate for an extension, and 2023 rookie Sean Clifford will be around as the backup. Alex McGough is on the practice squad.
Running Back
AJ Dillon
Dillon was the team's second-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He's been a staple in the team's backfield since Jamaal Williams left via free agency following the 2020 season.
The Packers have decisions to make with Dillon and Aaron Jones, whom the Packers asked to take a pay cut before this season.
Dillon missed the last three games of the season with thumb and neck injuries.
With a limited amount of cap space and the running back position continuing to be devalued, it's unlikely Dillon and Jones will be in the same backfield in 2024.
Wide Receiver
None
The Packers are well-stocked at this position. The entire depth chart is filled with players who are on rookie contracts.
Tight End
Josiah Deguara
Deguara was part of the 2020 draft that looked to be headed toward an absolute disaster before Jordan Love's strong play down the stretch of 2023.
Deguara was listed at tight end when he was drafted, but he plays more of a fullback/H-back position in Matt LaFleur's offense. Deguara hasn't been overly productive, and there was not much, if any, dropoff when Deguara was on the shelf with an injury. His receptions count went from 25 in 2021 to 13 in 2022 to eight in 2023.
Henry Pearson is on the practice squad and played well on special teams when he was elevated in Deguara's absence. Perhaps the Packers try and go cheaper here.
Tyler Davis
Davis missed all of the 2023 season with a knee injury suffered in the preseason. Prior to that, he was one of the team's top players on special teams.
Assuming his recovery is on track, the Packers could bring him back to a position group that has seen Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft emerge but will need depth behind them.
Offensive Line
Jon Runyan Jr.
Before Jordan Love's emergence this season, Runyan was likely the best pick from the Packers' 2020 draft class.
Runyan has been a staple of the Packers' offensive line, but he split reps with 2022 third-round pick Sean Rhyan throughout the season. The only way that could be construed is the Packers giving Rhyan an audition to see if he is ready to start in 2024.
Runyan might get a nice contract somewhere, but it feels like it's unlikely to be in Green Bay.
Yosh Njiman
When the Packers gave Njiman the second-round tender worth a shade over $4 million this offseason, it felt like he was in line to be the potential successor to David Bakhtiari at left tackle.
At training camp this year, he was in competition for the right tackle job with Zach Tom. That fight ended early, with Tom winning by knockout.
From there, Njiman never found his footing. He lost his job as the primary swing tackle to Rasheed Walker. There was a stretch through the season when he was rotating with Walker, but Walker pulled away in that competition, as well.
Njiman has likely played his last game in Green Bay.
Defensive Line
None
Devonte Wyatt, Colby Wooden, Karl Brooks and TJ Slaton are all on rookie contracts. Kenny Clark is the "old" guy of this group, and he's 28 years old.
This group struggled with inconsistency during the season but finished the year strong in San Francisco. They'll all be back next season but could stand to add another solid run defender.
Outside Linebacker
None
This position is the one that had the big name on the free-agent list when Rashan Gary's contract was set to expire, but the Packers left no room for drama.
Gary signed a contract extension in late October, and he will be a cornerstone piece for the defense for years to come.
Inside Linebacker
Eric Wilson
Wilson has been one of the team's best players on special teams since he arrived in Green Bay last year as a waiver claim. He led the team with 11 tackles on the coverage units, and his heads-up play on special teams saved Keisean Nixon's bacon in the Packers' divisional-round loss in San Francisco.
The Packers brought him back on a one-year deal last offseason. A former 100-tackle starter for the Vikings who logged 121 snaps on defense this year, it's unlikely Wilson will command much of a raise.
On a team that struggles enough on special teams, he should be a priority to bring back.
Kristian Welch
Welch has a great story as someone that grew up close to Green Bay. He's living out the dream of every northeastern Wisconsin child.
With the Packers, he did not play any snaps on defense but logged 210 quality snaps on special teams, where he had six tackles..
Cornerback
Keisean Nixon
Nixon has been the Packers' lone wolf in the secondary. He's started every game and stayed on the field while the group around him has rotated in and out.
Nixon led the league in average yards per kickoff return, while also having the most attempts. Nixon earned back-to-back All-Pro honors as a returner, though he was mostly kept under wraps this season until breaking into the clear for a 73-yard return against the 49ers.
Nixon is a favorite of special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia. It will be interesting to see if he's offered a contract too big for the Packers to swallow.
Corey Ballentine
Ballentine is one of the best stories of the season. With no defensive starts since 2020, he was pressed into duty because of injuries and thrived. He was at his best during a matchup against Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17.
Ballentine might get a nice raise elsewhere, but if not, the Packers would be wise to bring him back.
Safety
Darnell Savage
A first-round pick in 2019, Savage played this season under the fifth-year option. He was in and out of the lineup with injuries, but the pass defense seemed to receive a boost based on his return to the lineup for the Week 17 win at Minnesota.
Savage never recaptured the form from 2020 that had people thinking he would become a star at the position, but he is a leader in the secondary and stayed around the team when he was on injured reserve.
In the playoffs, he was a hero against Dallas with his pick-six and a goat against San Francisco with his dropped interception and missed tackle on Christian McCaffrey’s long touchdown run.
The Packers only have two safeties under contract for 2024: rookie seventh-round pick Anthony Johnson Jr. and undrafted rookie Bennie Sapp.
Perhaps the Packers could bring Savage back on a cheaper contract to have a veteran in the secondary for a position in transition.
Jonathan Owens
Signed in free agency after starting all 17 games last year for Houston, Owens opened the season as a backup but started every game beginning with Week 8 against the Vikings. In 11 starts, he was fifth on the team with 74 tackles but only broke up three passes. He was one of the best players on the field in Green Bay's 29-22 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
Owens played on a one-year contract worth just over $1 million. He could be an affordable re-signing.
Rudy Ford
Ford returned to Green Bay on a one-year deal after joining the team after the final roster cutdown before the 2022 season.
Ford was brought in for his special teams abilities but ended up starting and getting benched at various points during his tenure. He beat out Owens for the starting job in training camp and wound up playing in 13 games with nine starts. He was sixth on the team with 68 tackles this year. In two seasons, he intercepted five passes.
