We all know about unrestricted free agents, who are free to negotiate and sign wherever they please once their contracts expire to start the new league year. This offseason, the Green Bay Packers have 12 players who fit into that free agent classification.
However, there are also two other free agent classes, restricted and exclusive rights, and combined, the Packers have five players who fit into those two groupings.
So, who are those players, what does it mean to be a restricted or an exclusive rights free agent, and what does their future hold with the Packers? Let’s discuss.
Robert Rochell and Patrick Taylor fall into the restricted free agent group, which of the three categories is by far the most nuanced. These are players with three years of accrued NFL experience. While, technically, they can negotiate with other teams, the restricted free agent’s current team has the ability to place a tender on that player, which oftentimes can limit that player’s market.
If a tender is placed on the restricted free agent, it will either be a first-round tender, second-round tender, an original-round tender, or a right of first refusal tender. Each of these tenders comes with a fixed and predetermined salary for the upcoming season.
In 2024, if a first-round tender is placed on a restricted free agent by their current team, that comes with a salary of $6.46 million, per Over the Cap. A second-round tender pays the player $4.63 million, and a right-of-first-refusal tender pays $2.82 million.
If, for example, the current team places a second-round tender on their restricted free agent, and another team wants to sign that player away, in order to do so, that new team would have to trade a second-round pick – because a second-round tender was placed – to the original team, who still has the opportunity to decline the trade and keep the restricted free agent. Like I said, a restricted free agent’s market can be severely limited when a tender is placed.
Conversely, in that same scenario, if no opposing team chooses to make an offer for the restricted free agent with a second-round tender, then the current team would pay that player $4.63 million for the 2024 season. This is just a one-year deal, and the restricted free agent then becomes an unrestricted free agent the following offseason.
A right of first refusal tender means that the player’s original team has the chance to match any contract offer that the restricted free agent might receive from another team. But if the original team chooses not to match, there isn’t any draft pick compensation for them. In the instances where the original team doesn’t place a tender on the restricted free agent, that player becomes an unrestricted free agent and can sign anywhere.
Now, having said all of that, when it comes to Rochell and Taylor, I don’t expect the Packers to tender either player.
With that said, I do see a world where either Rochell or Taylor still ends up signing with the Packers as an unrestricted free agent once Green Bay declines to tender them. Rochell was a core special teams player, and the Packers need cornerback depth, while Taylor was a special teams contributor as well and a solid third-down running back with his ability as a pass-blocker and pass-catcher.
However, neither will be guaranteed a roster spot by any means, so there is no reason for the Packers to give them a contract with guaranteed dollars attached to it.
As far as the exclusive rights free agents (ERFA) go, running back Emanuel Wilson, offensive tackle Caleb Jones, and punt Daniel Whelan fit into this bucket.
Although the category has the word free agent in it, these players are still essentially under team control. Exclusive rights free agents have fewer than three accrued NFL seasons and cannot negotiate with other teams.
Instead, the current team has the opportunity to offer the ERFA a one-year league minimum deal. The ERFA only becomes an unrestricted free agent if they are not offered a contract.
In this case, you can expect Whelan, Jones, and Wilson to all be back for training camp. For one, it’s a minimal contract commitment by the Packers. And two, all could be contributors this coming season.
Whelan improved as the season went on, specifically with his touch and directional kicking. From Week 12 on, he had the lowest punt return rate in the NFL. Opponents averaged just 5.7 yards per return, the second-lowest average in that span of games. Whelan also had 11 fair catches, which ranked eighth and the fourth-best hang time.
With unknowns at the running back position outside of Aaron Jones, Wilson could have the opportunity to compete for the second running back role. In his limited opportunities, Wilson displayed good burst and vision. Where he will have to get more consistent is as a pass blocker and pass catcher.
Jones, meanwhile, has essentially had two redshirt years on the 53-man roster–so clearly the Packers are committed to him. After often being a healthy scratch, Jones will, at a minimum, have the opportunity to compete for a backup tackle role during training camp.