We all feel that that Green Bay Packers are a desirable destination for any football player. Team is owned by the fans, first class facilities, a winning tradition, and a hall of fame quarterback that gives you a chance to win a Super Bowl every year. Adam Schein of the NFL.com ranked the Packers in the top 5 of the most desirable free agent destinations in 2018. One thing to note is the list is only of teams that did not make the playoffs in 2017, so it misses some worthy teams like the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers. Either way, I would still rank the Packers in the top 5 of all 32 NFL teams.
Many players crave the spotlight, something that Green Bay is not on the national stage, but Green Bay does have it’s benefits for any free agent football player. Lambeau Field is the crown jewel of stadiums, a destination for football fans. The community is football crazy all year around, and the franchise has a long history of winning. Green Bay, Wisconsin is all about family and during the season it give players the opportunity to be with their families and away from distractions so they can concentrate on football, unlike the bigger cities. They may have only won 1 Super Bowl in the Rodgers era, but they have been consistently in the discussion and in the playoffs.
There is no doubt that quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a major reason for the Packers being a desirable destination for free agents. A healthy Rodgers means the Packers are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl not only in 2018 but for a few more years. Depending on where the free agent is in his career, who wouldn’t want a chance to play with a hall of fame quarterback that provides you the opportunity to get a ring?
When it comes to bringing in free agents, there is the salary cap. It’s one reason many people have speculated that the Packers would move on from or restructure the contracts of Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, Clay Matthews and Bryan Bulaga. They do not have a ton of cap space, so they would need to adjust some contracts to sign free agents.
They might not be able to offer a ton of cash or the great weather that other teams can offer, but they can offer the opportunity to play in January where the player can make a bigger name for themselves. A chance to play with a future hall of fame quarterback, who is also a two-time league MVP, is enough to entice a few quality free agents to come to Green Bay and bring the Vince Lombardi Trophy home to Titletown.
New general manager Brian Gutekunst has a great pitch to make to potential free agents. He also has a great opportunity to change the Packers approach to building a championship team. I fully expect Gutekunst to upgrade the roster through free agency instead of solely relying on the draft. Now is the time for him to make his mark on the team.
Anthony Haag is a writer for PackersTalk.com. He has been a Packers fan since the day he was born and truly bleeds green and gold. He makes annual visits to Lambeau Field and has attended his fair share of games. You can follow Anthony on Twitter at @anthony_haag
