Skip to main content
Packer Central

16 Reclamation Projects for Packers to Consider in Week 2 of Free Agency

After signing Isaiah Simmons and Mecole Hardman, here is a group of 16 players who were considered quality NFL prospects that could help the Packers at position of need.
Bill Huber|
New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers in 2021.
New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers in 2021. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

Almost exactly one year ago today, the Green Bay Packers signed receiver Mecole Hardman, a former second-round pick with excellent athleticism and some proven production. About a month later, they signed linebacker Isaiah Simmons, a former top-10 pick with excellent production and some high-level production.

Ultimately, neither player made the roster. However, those types of no-risk, high-reward signings are smart.

In that light, here are 16 free agents who could be worth a shot for the Packers as free agency has shifted into the bargain-hunting phase. We focused on positions of need and players who were touted college prospects who haven’t quite panned out in the NFL. (Ages are as of the start of the 2026 season).

Quarterback: Zach Wilson (27)

The second pick of the 2021 draft by the Jets, Zach Wilson has been a bust. He went 12-21 as a starter during his first three seasons with 57.0 percent accuracy and 23 touchdowns vs. 25 interceptions. He didn’t play in a game in 2024 and threw only 11 passes with the Dolphins in 2025.

Without Malik Willis, the quarterbacks behind Jordan Love are Desmond Ridder, a third-round pick in 2022 with decent numbers in 18 career starts, and Kyle McCord, a sixth-round pick last year by the Eagles.

College scouting reports matter, which is why Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said he and his staff are doing their due diligence on top draft prospects this year, even though the Packers don’t and almost certainly won’t have a first-round pick.

As The Athletic’s Dane Brugler said before the draft, “Wilson doesn’t have an ideal body type, but his natural accuracy, off-platform skills and ability to make great spontaneous decisions translate to any level of football.”

Running Back: Zamir White (27)

Zamir White was a fourth-round pick in 2022 by the Raiders. In four seasons, he’s rushed for 736 yards (3.7 average) and caught 25 passes (6.1 yards per catch). He averaged less than 3.0 yards per carry in a total of 14 games the past two seasons.

However, he’s still big and he’s still fast, and the Packers don’t have an obvious No. 2 back behind his former Raiders teammate, Josh Jacobs.

Running Back: Antonio Gibson (28)

Antonio Gibson played receiver in college but was drafted by Washington as a running back in the third round in 2020 because of his build. During his first two seasons, he rushed for 1,832 yards; during his first four seasons, he caught 172 passes.

He suffered a torn ACL last year with New England.  

Tight End: Will Dissly (30)

There aren’t any great “reclamation project” fits at tight end. We’ve mentioned Will Dissly a couple times as a street free agent who would not upset the compensatory-pick ledger so will repeat him here, even though he’d be more “rebound” than “reclamation.”

A fourth-round pick in 2018, Dissly went from 50 catches in 2024 to 11 in 2025. He’s perhaps the best blocker available other than John FitzPatrick, who suffered a torn Achilles last season with the Packers.

Offensive Tackle: Lucas Niang (28)

Lucas Niang was a third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2020. He opted out of his rookie season due to COVID and started nine games in 2021. He played in 21 games in 2022 and 2023 – mostly on special teams – failed to make Kansas City’s roster in 2024 and missed the 2025 season with a torn ACL.

Offensive Tackle: James Hudson (27)

A fourth-round pick by the Browns in 2021, James Hudson started 17 games in four seasons with Cleveland and two games last season for the Giants.

His 1,462 snaps include 1,049 at right tackle and 362 at left tackle. In 85 snaps last season, he was penalized five times.

Guard: Brady Christensen (30)

Brady Christensen was a third-round pick by the Panthers in 2021 with superior athleticism and an intriguing NFL history. In five seasons with Carolina, he started 34 games. He’s played every position on the line, with 443 snaps at left tackle, 1,064 at left guard, 247 at center, 247 at right guard and 285 at right tackle.

After starting 17 games in 2022, he’s started only 11 games the past three seasons. He allowed one sack when playing right guard in 2025 and zero sacks while playing left tackle and center in 2024.

Center: Ricky Stromberg (26)

Ricky Stromberg, who was voted the SEC’s best offensive lineman with Arkansas in 2022, was a third-round pick in 2023 by the Commanders. He played in four games as a rookie and none since; he spent last season on the Bears’ practice squad. His regular-season experience consists of 26 snaps on offense and two on special teams.

Defensive End: Payton Turner (27)

Payton Turner was the 28th pick of the 2021 draft. In 31 games with zero starts in four seasons for the Saints, he had five sacks. He signed with Dallas in free agency last year but missed the season with a rib injury.

The Packers haven’t replaced Rashan Gary or Kingsley Enagbare. With this profile, he’s perhaps worth a shot.

Defensive End: Anfernee Jennings (29)

Anfernee Jennings was a third-round pick by the Patriots in 2020. He started a total of 30 games in 2023 and 2024, with a superb 14 tackles for losses in 2023. Last season, he played in 14 games with three starts for the AFC champions. He had only two sacks but is an excellent run defender.

Defensive End: Clelin Ferrell (29)

Clelin Ferrell was the fourth pick of the 2019 draft by the Oakland Raiders. He had 17 sacks in his first six seasons and zero sacks in one game for the Chargers to open the 2025 season. He spent the second half of the season with the 49ers and had four sacks in eight games.

Defensive Tackle: Perrion Winfrey (26)

Perrion Winfrey was a fourth-round pick by the Browns in 2022 after recording 5.5 sacks and 11 tackles for losses during his senior season at Oklahoma. He played in 13 games as a rookie, one game for the Jets in 2023, zero games in 2024 and one game for the Cowboys in 2025.

He’s got excellent athleticism and length.

Defensive Tackle: Taven Bryan (30)

We’ve tried to keep this list to younger players with strong draft credentials. There aren’t a lot of those among the defensive tackles. Bryan, who turned 30 last week, at least has the draft credentials as a first-round pick by the Jaguars in 2018. He started 17 games in four seasons with the Jaguars and 16 games for the Browns in 2022.

In 2025, he opened the season on Baltimore’s practice squad, played in five games and missed the end of the season with an ankle injury.

Cornerback: Kaiir Elam (25)

Kaiir Elam was a first-round pick by the Bills in 2022. In four seasons, he’s allowed a catch rate of 69.5 percent. In a season split between the Cowboys and Titans last year, he gave up four touchdowns and broke up two passes in 14 games (seven starts).

Green Bay Packers receiver Romeo Doubs (87) catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Dallas Cowboys cornerback Kaiir Elam.
Green Bay Packers receiver Romeo Doubs (87) catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Dallas Cowboys cornerback Kaiir Elam. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

At 6-foot-1 1/2, he ran his 40 in 4.39 seconds. NFL.com before the draft compared him to Bears star Jaylon Johnson. It’s not as if the Packers have an abundance of cornerbacks.

Cornerback: Martin Emerson (26)

Martin Emerson was a third-round pick by the Browns in 2022. He broke up 15 passes as a rookie and added four interceptions and 14 passes defensed as an encore in 2023. During those two seasons, his catch rate allowed was about 50.0 percent.

In 2024, though, he had no interceptions and five PBUs and gave up six touchdowns and a catch rate of 62.7 percent, according to PFF, and he missed all of last season with a torn Achilles.

At 6-foot-1 5/8, he’s got 4.52 speed in the 40.

Safety: Ifeatu Melifonwu (27)

Ifeatu Melifonwu was a third-round pick by the Lions in 2021. In four seasons in Detroit, he missed a total of 31 games in 2021, 2022 and 2024. In 2025 with Miami, he played in 16 games with eight starts and had one interception and a career-high 53 tackles.

Melifonwu was drafted as a cornerback but moved to safety in 2022. He’s 6-foot-2 1/2 with 4.48 speed.

SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY PACKERS NEWSLETTER

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.