Four-Point Plan for Perfect Packers Free Agency

The Green Bay Packers entered the offseason with some noteworthy holes on the roster. With free agency kicking off on Monday, they have limited salary-cap space to address those needs. With the NFL Draft next month, they don’t have a first-round pick, either.

Here is a four-point plan of attack to maximize their free agency.

1. Take Advantage of Street Free Agents

The Packers don’t have a first-round pick in 2026. And they don’t have one in 2027, either. However, they are in position to assemble quite a cache of draft capital.

The Packers’ unrestricted free agents include left tackle Rasheed Walker, quarterback Malik Willis, receiver Romeo Doubs and linebacker Quay Walker.

The Packers won’t re-sign any of those players, which puts them in position to max out their compensatory draft picks at four. Willis and Rasheed Walker could fetch third-rounders, and Doubs and Quay Walker could be in the fourth- or fifth-round bracket, depending on their contracts.

Along with the fourth-round pick from the Rashan Gary trade and their own selections, Green Bay in 2027 could have three third-round picks and three or four fourth-round picks.

Signing unrestricted free agents could compromise some of those compensatory picks. Signing street free agents – veterans who have been released – will not.

There are some quality players available. Former NFC North offensive linemen James Daniels and Graham Glasgow would provide versatile depth on the interior offensive line. Bilal Nichols, Dalvin Tomlinson, Justin Jones can help the interior defensive line. Marshon Lattimore could be worth a shot at cornerback.

Other players will be released over the next couple days as teams work to get in compliance with the salary cap by 3 p.m. Wednesday.

2. Sign Cornerback

The draft class is strong at cornerback, but general manager Brian Gutekunst has a history of doubling down at a position in free agency and the draft. Lattimore is the only street free agent at cornerback worth signing, so he might have to dive into unrestricted free agency – and sacrifice a compensatory pick in the process.

“It’s about winning now,” Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine. “That’s the most important thing. If there’s players who we can sign that give us the opportunity to win now more so than holding out for a compensatory pick in 2027, that’s the decision we’re going to make.”

Fortunately for Gutekunst, the Gary trade gave them a potentially unexpected midround pick to make up for a potential lost compensatory pick

Among the corners available who have experience and potential upside but probably wouldn’t cancel out the potential third-round compensatory picks:

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) breaks up a pass intended for New England Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Seattle’s Josh Jobe, who flourished for the Super Bowl champions.

Seattle’s Tariq Woolen, who has elite physical tools and a solid history of ball production.

Jacksonville’s Greg Newsome, a former first-round pick who broke up nine passes for the Browns and Jaguars last year.

Cincinnati’s Cam Taylor-Britt, who the Packers showed some interest at last year’s trade deadline and had seven interceptions and 27 passes defensed in 2023 and 2024.

Pittsburgh’s James Pierre, who was outstanding down the stretch last season with a 42.9 percent completion rate, according to Stathead.

Miami’s Jack Jones, who has started 33 games the past two seasons with four interceptions and 22 passes defensed.

3. Make New Coordinators Happy

New defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon led the Eagles defense that got to the Super Bowl in 2022. That defense had an all-time great pass rush.

Every coordinator likes some of his own guys. The Packers have a massive hole at defensive tackle that could be filled by Calais Campbell, who will turn 40 just before Week 1. An unrestricted free agent, he was a team captain for Gannon’s Cardinals last season. He had 6.5 sacks and is a strong run defender.

Javon Hargrave’s best days are behind him, which is why the Vikings released him last week, but he had a combined 18.5 sacks, 34 quarterback hits and 123 tackles for Gannon and the Eagles in 2021 and 2022.

Roy Lopez was a quality backup for the Lions in 2025 who started 16 games for Gannon and the Cardinals in 2024. He’s an unrestricted free agent.

At defensive end, Haason Reddick had 16 sacks for the Eagles (with Gannon) in 2022. He had just 3.5 sacks in 23 games the last two seasons but could be a no-risk, potential-upside addition. Derek Barnett isn’t much of a pass rusher but he was a tough-guy run defender for the Eagles in 2021 and 2022.

New special teams coordinator Cam Achord must fix Green Bay’s perennially downtrodden special teams. Green Bay’s return game was terrible last season. Among the free-agent returners who can help at receiver, as well, are Pittsburgh’s Calvin Austin, San Francisco’s Skyy Moore, Chicago’s Devin Duvernay and Kansas City’s Tyquan Thornton.

4. Sign a Center

Done.

The Packers re-signed Sean Rhyan. He was expensive, but at least the Packers have that important position solidified and can use their Day 2 draft picks to address positions of need.

Now, Gutekunst can get to work in building depth. The starting five of left tackle Jordan Morgan, left guard Aaron Banks, Rhyan, right guard Anthony Belton and right tackle Zach Tom is solid.

However, there’s not much depth. The Packers haven’t tendered valuable restricted free agent Darian Kinnard, and there’s almost no experience behind them with Jacob Monk, Lecitus Smith, Donovan Jennings and Brant Banks. Keeping Kinnard (or upgrading, though that’s easier said than done) would be important.

Overall, Gutekunst said the lack of a first-round pick wouldn’t impact his strategy in free agency.

“Our free agency process was the same,” he said. “Just because we don’t have a first-round pick doesn’t make me feel we have to change anything within that. Every free agent class is different, and I think you have to be careful of chasing things that aren’t there. This class is different than last year’s class, the players that are available are the players that are available.

“Pretty soon here, we’re probably going to have an influx of players that are going to get released, cap-casualty situations, and that’ll change it, as well.”

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