Packers Losing to NFC North Rivals 124 Million to Zero in Free Agency

The Beatles understood NFL free agency before there was such a thing as NFL free agency.

“I don't care too much for money. But money can't buy me love.”

Money can’t buy love in the NFL. Or championships. But it helps.

Last offseason, the New England Patriots spent almost $100 million more than any other team in free agency. They won the AFC. The Seattle Seahawks finished fourth in spending. They won the Super Bowl.

That doesn’t necessarily mean you can buy a Super Bowl, which Paul McCartney would be quick to point out if he were a general manager. In 2025, according to Spotrac, the Vikings were second in spending, the Giants were third, the Titans were fifth, the Saints were seventh and the Cardinals were eighth. They all missed the playoffs. In 2024, the top three spenders – the Panthers, Falcons and Titans – all missed the playoffs.

NFL free agency opened with a bang around the NFL on Monday. It opened with a whimper in Green Bay, though, with general manager Brian Gutekunst doing his best Ted Thompson impersonation. During Day 1 of free agency, the Packers signed zero players.

Green Bay, which finished 12th in spending in 2025 and 10th in 2024, and Philadelphia were the only two teams who did not agree to terms with an unrestricted free agent on Monday.

It’s not that the Packers weren’t active. They were just actively saying goodbye to some of their former standouts.

Malik Willis? Enjoy the Miami sunshine, and say hi to everyone.

Rashan Gary? Enjoy Dallas, and thank Jerry Jones for the free draft pick.

Elgton Jenkins? Thanks for the memories.

Quay Walker? Enjoy Las Vegas and the perpetually rebuilding Raiders.

Kingsley Enagbare? Enjoy New York and the perpetually rebuilding Jets.

Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) and defensive end Kingsley Enagbare tackle Ravens running back Derrick Henry. — Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) and defensive end Kingsley Enagbare (55) tackle Ravens running back Derrick Henry. Walker and Enagbare left Green Bay on Day 1 of free agency. | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As usual, free agency began on Monday with a breathtaking spending spree.

The Raiders spent $281 million, including signing Walker, re-signing former Packers cornerback Eric Stokes and handing center Tyler Linderbaum a record contract.

The Titans spent $279 million, including on cornerbacks Alontae Taylor, Cordale Flott and Joshua Williams. All three might be starters for the Packers. So would defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers.

The league median in Day 1 was $61 million. One fourth of the league spent more than $100 million.

The Bears, who went from worst to first in the NFC North last year, spent $90.5 million, including on linebacker Devin Bush and safety Coby Bryant to perhaps improve one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

The Lions, who went from first to worst, bolstered their offensive line with center Cade Mays.

The Vikings, with one of the worst cap situations in the NFL – they’re still over the cap – signed cornerback James Pierre.

Added together, the Packers’ NFC North rivals spent $124 million. The Packers, if you needed a reminder, didn’t spend a penny.

Now, there’s some moving of the goalposts here. The Packers re-signed center Sean Rhyan and linebacker Nick Niemann before free agency, and they retained restricted free agents Darian Kinnard and Chris Brooks. So, it’s not as if Gutekunst spent the day wallpapering his office with fresh-from-the-mint Benjamin Franklins.

There are plenty of good free agents left over. Green Bay’s three biggest needs are defensive end, where they are paper thin after losing Enagbare and Gary, defensive tackle, where they were short-handed even before trading Colby Wooden, and cornerback.

With the Titans’ shopping spree and the Rams signing Jaylen Watson to pair with Trent McDuffie, cornerback is picked over, but the defensive line positions remain fairly well stocked. More good players will become available when teams cut veterans to get in compliance with the salary cap on Wednesday.

With a tight salary cap even after jettisoning Gary and Jenkins and with the desire to not mess with compensatory picks, Gutekunst might be waiting to find some bargains. Or, maybe he shook his head at the thought of spending $27 million a year on a center.

“Our free agency process was the same. Just because we don’t have a first-round pick doesn’t make me feel we have to change anything within that,” Gutekunst said at the Scouting Combine.

“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. We’re looking at that pretty extensively and we’ll kind of see where it goes.”

The Packers will have to get busy over the next few days. If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. The Packers certainly didn’t get better on Monday. Especially with no first-round pick, the NFC North is too good to stay quiet much longer.

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