Packers Winners, Losers Through Three Days of NFL Free Agency

Through three days of NFL free agency, the Green Bay Packers have added defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, linebacker Zaire Franklin, cornerback Benjamin St-Juste and receiver/returner Skyy Moore, and they’ve predictably lost quarterback Malik Willis, receiver Romeo Doubs and linebacker Quay Walker and traded Rashan Gary.

Here are Green Bay’s winners and losers from the opening stages of free agency.

Winner: Jonathan Gannon

The Jonathan Gannon-coordinated Eagles defense that reached the Super Bowl in 2022 had a whopping 70 sacks. Yes, run defense is important. It’s hard to rush the passer when it’s second-and-4 and third-and-2. But a pass rush wins games – and championships.

Last season, Green Bay’s interior rushers produced 79 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. The Super Bowl-champion Seahawks’ interior rushers had 139. The Eagles’ interior rushers in 2022 had 133, with Javon Hargrave tallying 57.

Trading Colby Wooden to the Colts for linebacker Zaire Franklin was a blow to the run defense. Replacing Wooden with Hargrave will add some badly needed juice to the pass rush, though. Of 91 defensive tackles with at least 222 pass-rushing opportunities last season – that was Devonte Wyatt’s number – Hargrave was 18th in pass-rush win rate, according to Pro Football Focus. A more reliable pass rush should create more opportunities for takeaways, something that evaded the defense last season.

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— Bucky BrewPack (@Kinger112611) March 11, 2026

Moreover, Hargrave will give Gannon a trusted voice as he installs his scheme and explains his philosophy.

“He gave me a lot of freedom and talked to me during the week about what I liked and some of the plays he was going to call if we liked them,” Hargrave said while with the 49ers in 2023. “He’s one of those players’ coaches that listens to players a lot to get the best out of them.”

Not to be overlooked, Benjamin St-Juste is a considerable upgrade over Nate Hobbs at cornerback.

Winner: Javon Hargrave

After four excellent seasons with the Eagles, Javon Hargrave in 2023 signed a four-year, $84 million contract with the 49ers that included $40 million in guarantees. Hargrave was released after two seasons and signed a two-year, $30 million contract with the Vikings in 2025 that included $19 million in guarantees.

Hargrave was released after one season and quickly joined the Packers. The specifics of his two-year, $23 million contract haven’t been made public, but if it includes $11 million in guarantees, he’ll have collected $70 million in guaranteed money in four years.

So, Hargrave can probably afford to get his son a cheesehead.

Someone get him a cheesehead 🥹 (via grave_digger97/IG) pic.twitter.com/2oGj3p7I03
— NFL (@NFL) March 12, 2026

Winner: Devonte Wyatt

Devonte Wyatt was an army of one as an interior pass rusher for the Packers. He had four sacks in 10 games last season. The rest of Green Bay’s defensive tackles had one sack – a half-sack apiece by Karl Brooks and Warren Brinson.

Wyatt and Hargrave could form an excellent interior pass-rushing combo. With Micah Parsons screaming off the edge, someone is going to get a one-on-one opportunity.

Winner: Cam Achord

Last season, six members of Green Bay’s special teams had at least 10 tackles. All but one, Zayne Anderson, who signed with the Dolphins on Wednesday, will return and have featured roles for new special teams coordinator Cam Achord.

While Anderson left in free agency, general manager Brian Gutekunst re-signed linebacker Nick Niemann, who was on pace for 27 tackles before a torn pectoral. The league lead was 26. Gutekunst also re-signed running back Chris Brooks, who tied Anderson for the team lead in tackles, linebacker Kristian Welch, who has a long track record on special teams, and Bo Melton.

For the cherry on top of the sundae, Achord was gifted receiver/returner Skyy Moore, who was one of only three returners to finish in the top 10 in kickoff return and punt return.

Winner: Future Brian Gutekunst

The 2026 NFL Draft class is mediocre. The 2027 draft class is supposed to be phenomenal. Because of the Micah Parsons trade, the Packers won’t have a first-round pick in either year. However, because of compensatory picks and the Rashan Gary trade, Gutekunst in 2027 might have one selection in the second round, two picks in the third round (Malik Willis compensatory pick), three picks in the fourth round (Gary trade, Romeo Doubs compensatory pick) and two picks in the fifth round (Quay Walker compensatory pick).

The Packers have nine selections in 2027 and will be up to 10 with whatever compensatory pick they get for losing left tackle Rasheed Walker.

That means an influx of young, talented and inexpensive players.

Winner: Romeo Doubs

Romeo Doubs, shown against the Patriots in 2023, signed with New England in free agency. | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

With more suspensions than 100-yard games or 750-yard seasons on his resume, Romeo Doubs signed a four-year, $68 million contract with a team that just reached the Super Bowl and has a hot-shot young quarterback.

With Green Bay and how the offense is structured, he was a part of the offense. With New England, the contract and the release of Stefon Diggs mean he’ll be a featured part of the offense and give him a chance to really show what he’s all about.

Winners and losers after Day 1 | Winners and losers after Day 2

Loser: Matt LaFleur

Will Matt LaFleur be coaching a better roster in 2026 than he did in 2025? That’s debatable.

Will Jordan Morgan be better than Rasheed Walker at left tackle?

Will Zaire Franklin be better than Quay Walker at linebacker?

Will Benjamin St-Juste be good enough to beat out Carrington Valentine at cornerback?

Will any receiver be a Romeo Doubs-style go-to player on third down?

Will whoever becomes the No. 2 running back be better than Emanuel Wilson?

What happens if Jordan Love is hurt?

Without question, parts of Green Bay’s roster have improved. But, as a whole, that’s not necessarily true.

Loser: Jordan Love

We’ve hit on this a few times but it’s worth repeating.

The Seattle Seahawks, who rode arguably the best defense in the NFL to a win in the Super Bowl, have Devon Witherspoon at one cornerback and re-signed starter Josh Jobe.

The Los Angeles Rams, who reached the NFC Championship Game, nuked their cornerback corps by trading for Trent McDuffie and signing Jaylen Watson.

The Philadelphia Eagles, who already had Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean at corner, signed Tariq Woolen.

Those are three of the teams standing between Love and the Super Bowl. Good luck.

Chicago Bears defensive linemen Grady Jarrett (50) and Montez Sweat (98) celebrate after forcing a Jordan Love incompletion. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Loser: Rasheed Walker

Rasheed Walker hit free agency thinking he’d get a contract worth more than the four-year, $82 million deal signed by left tackle Dan Moore in free agency last year.

Walker remains unsigned. Perhaps the entire left tackle market is on hold for the 49ers and a potential trade of Trent Williams, but that Walker remains unsigned is one of the shocks of the offseason.

Loser: Super Bowl Hopes

The Packers’ special teams should be better with Skyy Moore and their pass rush should be better with Javon Hargrave.

Otherwise, it’s a lot of wishing and hoping that Matthew Golden will burst onto the scene in Year 2, that Jordan Love will stay healthy, that the offensive line will lead a better running game and that Zaire Franklin and Hargrave will have turn-back-the-clock seasons.

Wishing and hoping isn’t a plan, though.

That reality is reflected in the latest Super Bowl odds. The Packers opened at +1300 and the fifth-shortest to win the Lombardi Trophy. After the opening waves of free agency, the Packers are at +1700 and have the eighth-shortest odds.

In the NFC North race, the Lions are the favorites at +160, with Green Bay at +200 and Chicago at +340.

Coming off three consecutive seventh-seeded seasons, given the power of the NFC West and NFC North and the gains made by other teams, it’s not exactly a lock that the Packers will be playing meaningful football in January.

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