If there is one thing that Packers General Manager Brian Gutekunst has done that his predecessor Ted Thompson shied away from, it’s the relentless pursuit of adding talent.
Especially veteran talent.
Gutekunst understands that you have to utilize all available avenues to build a championship roster.
In recent memory, the Packers have added high priced free agents, bargain vets in the twilight of their careers and buy low reclamation projects. The majority with some degree of success.
As it stands the Packers have a very strong roster, but another key addition or two could be exactly what’s needed to push them over the top for their next Super Bowl victory
Eric Ebron TE
Eric Ebron is a name that will be familiar to Packer fans by virtue of his place in Detroit Lion’s history as another high first round draft pick that didn’t quite pan out.
The book on Ebron is that he’s in the mold of a jumbo wide receiver, he’s athletic, he doesn’t block, he can’t stay healthy, and he’s still somehow only 29 years old.
There are more than a few parallels with Sammy Watkins, whose addition to the Packers I wrote about a couple of weeks back.
Ebron had a career resurgence with the Colts in 2018 & ’19 scoring 16 TDs across 27 games
He’s had a very uneven career arc, but if (that’s a big if) healthy he’s still a difference maker.
I think he could be a helpful piece playing alongside Robert Tonyan, or perhaps taking a fair amount of snaps in Tonyan isn’t ready when the season begins.
Josiah Deguara is still an intriguing player, and the coaching staff seems to like Tyler Davis a fair amount but neither of those guys have proven much at the NFL level.
Ebron brings some juice, and may decide that chasing a ring is more important than holding out for max guaranteed money at this stage of his career.
Daryl Williams T/G
Brian Gutekunst and the Packers front office has done a great job at keep the offensive line cupboard full, but with a number of significant injuries hanging over the group there is a potential need for a plug-and-play veteran.
Ex-Bills Guard/Tackle Daryl Williams is a player that would fit the mold the Packers have typically coveted.
Williams is well regarded as a pass protector, has the positional flexibility that the Packers like and has a track record of success on the right side.
What the Packers brass does during training camp will be the most telling. Obviously with a bunch of new faces in the O-line room, those guys will have every opportunity to lay claim to spots on the depth chart.
If the Packers decide to add a veteran, it could very well be an indicator about the health of David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins or both.
Carlos Dunlap DE
If there is one gripe about the Packers 2022 defense, it’s that they might be a little short on pass rush.
Notably, Packers top pass rusher Za’Darius Smith departed this off-season. Leaving the pass rush group with a stud in Rashan Gary, a very good player in Preston Smith and some projects and loose change behind them.
But, you can make the argument that the Packers defense was just fine last season with essentially that same group.
Pass rushers are kind of like bullpen arms in baseball. If you want to make a deep push in the playoffs, you can never have too many good ones.
Carlos Dunlap is 33 years old and no longer the brutish player who was hunting quarterbacks for years in Cincinnati.
But, his game has actually aged quite well, tallying 8.5 sacks last season for the Seattle Seahawks.
Similarly to Whitney Mercilus for the Packers last season, Dunlap still can offer a fair amount of disruption if deployed sensibly.
There will probably be some competition for Dunlap’s services as the off-season roles on and injuries start to pile up.
Carlos Dunlap could be another guy who’s looking for a ring and willing to take a discount to help win a ring.
You can follow Adam on twitter at @adamjcarlson28.
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