Here’s Who’s Signed, Unsigned Among Packers’ Free Agents
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers entered the offseason with 12 unrestricted free agents. When they didn’t tender their two restricted free agents, that grew to 14.
Here’s a look at that group.
Unsigned Packers
TE Josiah Deguara: A third-round pick in 2020, Deguara remained the team’s unofficial fullback in 2023. His role declined, though. Through the first five weeks, he played 106 snaps on offense. Over the final five weeks, he played 49. He caught only eight passes; he wasn’t even targeted after Game 8 against the Rams.
LB Eric Wilson: With Quay Walker and De’Vondre Campbell in an out of the lineup due to injuries, Wilson played 121 snaps on defense while remaining a core player on special teams. He contributed 20 tackles on defense and led the team with 11 stops on special teams. Given how the linebacker group has been decimated in free agency, he’s one of the best players remaining in free agency. He had 121 tackles with the Vikings in 2020.
S Rudy Ford: In two seasons with the Packers, Ford had five interceptions and nine passes defensed. During that same span, Darnell Savage had one interception and six passes defensed. Moreover, of 68 tackles who played 500 snaps on defense last season, Ford was 11th in missed-tackle percentage. With his speed and physicality, you could do a lot worse for a third safety and core player on special teams.
RB Patrick Taylor: The Packers didn’t tender Taylor as a restricted free agent. He set career highs with 141 rushing yards and 11 receptions. With Josh Jacobs, AJ Dillon, Emanuel Wilson and the likelihood of a change-of-pace back coming in next month’s NFL Draft, Taylor might be looking for a new team. His market probably will develop after teams reassess after the draft.
Re-Signed Packers
CB Keisean Nixon: An All-Pro kick returner in 2022, Nixon did it again in 2023 and was the team’s full-time nickel defender for all 17 games. With a three-year contract worth $18 million, the Packers see him as a starter again. While he allowed a 79.4 percent catch rate – one of the worst marks among slot corners – he gave up just one touchdown and less than 10 yards per catch.
RB AJ Dillon: While the raw production was disappointing, he typically kept the Packers in strong down-and-distance situations as a runner and would have ranked second in the NFL in yards after the catch per catch had he caught enough passes. He had just one drop and didn’t fumble. He’s back on a one-year deal. “AJ’s done a great job for us the past four years,” Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine.
TE Tyler Davis: Davis missed last season with a torn ACL but will be ready long before the start of training camp. Finding a role on offense will be a challenge with Luke Musgrave, Tucker Kraft and Ben Sims on the roster, but he was a key cog on special teams and a favorite of Rich Bisaccia. He’s back on a one-year deal.
LB Kristian Welch: “This year was a dream come true,” Welch said of playing for his home-state Packers. A standout on special teams while with the Ravens, Welch was third on the team in tackles and fourth in snaps on the kicking units. Can he help on defense? He’s played only 44 snaps in four seasons, including zero with Green Bay last year. He’s back on a one-year deal.
CB Corey Ballentine: Ballentine signed a one-year deal after a rather remarkable season. After going two calendar years without playing a single snap on defense, he started six games last year. He intercepted one pass and was second on the team with seven passes defensed. Of 109 corners to play at least 250 coverage snaps, Ballentine was 37th in catch rate (59.2 percent) and 28th in passer rating (81.3), according to PFF.
CB Robert Rochell: The Packers didn’t tender Rochell as a restricted free agent but they brought him back on Monday. A fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2021 who started five games as a rookie, the Packers grabbed him off Carolina’s practice squad last season. In nine games, he didn’t play on defense but contributed 112 snaps on special teams.
Signed by Other Teams
RG Jon Runyan: Runyan started 50 consecutive games at both guard spots, but the Packers wanted to turn the page and go with the younger (and cheaper) Sean Rhyan. Runyan inked a three-year deal worth $30 million with the New York Giants. “Daniel Jones, when he's on his feet and healthy, he's a dangerous quarterback and he showed that two years ago,” Runyan said during his introductory news conference. “Keeping him on his feet and healthy and run game going, that's going to start up front and that’s a big responsibility.”
OT Yosh Nijman: Nijman was an unsung hero in helping the Packers do more than survive without David Bakhtiari with a combined 21 starts in 2021 and 2022. However, he failed to rise to the occasion last summer and lost out to Rasheed Walker for the swing-tackle role. So, when Bakhtiari was sidelined after Week 1, it was the inexperienced Walker who got the call at left tackle. On Monday night, he agreed to a contract with the Carolina Panthers.
S Darnell Savage: Savage went from all-rookie in 2019 and four interceptions in 2020, to losing his starting job for a few games in 2022 and recording zero interceptions and just one pass defensed in 10 games in 2023. While the ball production declined sharply, the missed-tackle count was consistently bad. He joined the Jacksonville Jaguars on a three-year deal worth $21.75 million. What will fans see? “A blur,” he said via Jaguars.com. “You’re going to see a lot of fun, a lot of excitement, be out there celebrating with my teammates and having fun playing the game of football.”
S Jonathan Owens: Owens didn’t win the starting job coming out of training camp, but he started the final 11 games and recorded 84 tackles, zero interceptions and three passes defensed. He joined the Chicago Bears on a two-year deal worth $4 million to potentially pair with Kevin Byard. “I know what I can do on defense. I feel like that's what makes me a very valuable asset to a team because I can do whatever you need me to do and be versatile,” he said.
