The first official week of the new league year is over. The Green Bay Packers haven’t been as active in free agency as last season, and they’ve had to sit back and watch their own players sign elsewhere, but GM Brian Gutekunst has still navigated a tight salary cap and made a handful of moves.
Here’s an assessment of the Packers’ situation so far in free agency:
LEAVING
LB Blake Martinez
RT Bryan Bulaga
TE Jimmy Graham
OLB Kyler Fackrell
LB B.J. Goodson
FB Danny Vitale
Martinez got $10 million a year on a new deal in New York. He’ll reunite with former Packers assistant coach Patrick Graham… Bulaga wanted to return but the conversation didn’t get far. He got a three-year deal worth over $30 million with the Chargers and former Packers offensive line coach James Campen… Graham somehow convinced the rival Bears to give him $16 million over two years, including $9 million guaranteed. It looks like one of the worst moves of free agency… Fackrell got a one-year deal and a chance for a bigger pass-rushing role with the Giants… Goodson, a situational player in 2019, departed for Cleveland… Vitale looked like a good fit in Matt LaFleur’s offense but left for a one-year deal in New England, opening up a potential hole at fullback.
ARRIVING
LB Christian Kirksey
RT Rick Wagner
WR Devin Funchess
Kirksey missed 23 games the last two seasons and was released by Cleveland. His production in 2016 and 2017 and past experience with Mike Pettine lured him to Green Bay, where he’ll be an immediate starter and leader… Wagner had a down year in 2019 but was once a reliable right tackle for the Ravens and Lions. He’ll have big shoes to fill as the bookend opposite David Bakhtiari… Funchess will be on his third team in three years and can be frustratingly inconsistent, but he had production as one of Cam Newton’s top targets and could be a big upgrade on Geronimo Allison.
RE-SIGNED
K Mason Crosby
TE Marcedes Lewis
DB Will Redmond
All three are leaders… Crosby is coming off one of his best seasons and will provide stability at kicker… Lewis cut weight and played an important role as a run blocker for Matt LaFleur in 2019. He’ll return in the same role in 2020… Redmond transitioned to safety and emerged as a top special teams contributor, leading the team in special teams tackles.
STILL UNSIGNED
CB Tramon Williams
WR Geronimo Allison
DB Ibraheim Campbell
OT Jared Veldheer
RB Tyler Ervin
OT Jason Spriggs
WR Ryan Grant
FB Malcolm Johnson
Assessment
The Packers downgraded at right tackle, decided to tread water at inside linebacker, took a low-risk gamble at receiver and have done nothing along the defensive line. It’d be hard to argue the Packers are better in any significant way at any of the team’s four biggest need positions, but that’s life without cap space and spending power. Gutekunst just didn’t have the ability to win bidding wars for the potential difference-makers, so he patched a few holes with cheap veterans and gave himself a little leeway in the draft. The Packers will hope they get the best out of Kirksey, Wagner and Funchess and find an immediate contributor or two in the draft. Free agency hasn’t been fruitful for the Packers, but it hasn’t been a disaster, either. The rest of the important work will get done next month.
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