As the General Manager Brian Gutekunst and the Packers navigate the early part of the 2025 offseason, there are 11 players with expiring contracts who are becoming unrestricted free agents. Fortunately for the Packers, there aren’t many of these players that are considered “must re-sign.” They have a lot of flexibility. The Packers have the cap space to re-sign every player on this list. They also could let every single one of them walk. What the Packers decide to do may depend on other teams. Regardless, there are players the Packers should prioritize bringing back and some that they should move on from. Let’s examine the 11 cases:

Corey Ballentine

Keep the phone lines open. Ballentine joined the Packers on their practice squad in 2022 and has been with the team since. Much of Ballentine’s contributions over his three-year tenure have come on special teams, having logged 415 special teams snaps in that timeframe. He has played sparingly on defense. The Packers should allow Ballentine to test his market in free agency. If he finds a better opportunity elsewhere, good for him. If he is unable to find a new home, the Packers should keep the phone lines open and consider bringing him back again on a nearly non-guaranteed veteran minimum contract.

Tyler Davis

It’s time to let him walk. After signing with the Packers in 2021, Davis developed a strong reputation on special teams and earned praise from his coaches. While there’s a role for this, it’s time for him to move on. After tearing his ACL in 2023 and suffering a season-ending injury in 2024, he has not been healthy and has never proven to be a significant part of the offense. The contributions that Davis once made on special teams and offense can be replaced by a much younger and cheaper player.

A.J. Dillon

His time as a Packer must come to an end. The “Mayor of Door County” and fan favorite has likely played his last snap as a member of the Packers. Dillon, a former second-round pick, quickly endeared himself to Packers’ fans by embracing the Wisconsin way of life. However, his play on the field never transpired into what the Packers hoped when they drafted him. After suffering a season-ending injury last season, the Packers were forced to find alternative options, and they did. The Packers will head into 2025 with Josh Jacobs, Marshawn Lloyd, and Emmanuel Wilson. Could the Packers bring him back on a non-guaranteed, inexpensive deal? Sure, but it’s hard to imagine why he would want to, considering his chances of making the team are small. It’s time to let him walk.

Andre Dillard

It was fine for a year, but it’s time to go elsewhere. The Packers brought in Andre Dillard last off-season with the hope of adding veteran depth to the tackle position. In 2024, he appeared in ten games, although he only played a total of 13 offensive snaps. The Packers love their offensive linemen to have positional versatility, something Dillard lacks. He is strictly a tackle and is at his best just sticking to one side of the line. The Packers are set at their tackle positions with both Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker, so Dillard would be re-signed to be a backup only. The Packers could likely find a more versatile, younger, and cheaper option rather than bringing Dillard back.

Isaiah McDuffie

The Packers got the ball rolling by re-signing McDuffie. On Monday, March 3, it was announced that McDuffie re-signed with the Packers on a two-year, $8 million deal. The former Boston College product has proven to be a valuable special teamer and solid backup linebacker over his four years with the Packers. In addition to being a leader on special teams, he is a strong tackler and knows Jeff Hafley’s defense well. Bringing him back makes a lot of sense.

Brandon McManus

He’s back. From the start, McManus always seemed like the most obvious candidate to re-sign after coming in and immediately bolstering the Packers’ shaky kicker position. On Tuesday, March 4, it was announced that McManus re-signed with the Packers on a three-year deal worth up to $15.3 million. That’s a solid payday for the veteran kicker and puts him in the top half of kickers in terms of APY.

Josh Myers

He has probably played his last snap as a Packer. The decision whether to re-sign Myers may be one of the more fascinating decisions the Packers have to make. On one hand, Jordan Love, Matt LaFleur, and the rest of the Packers’ locker room have spoken glowingly of Myers. On the other hand, his performance on the field has been up and down. Myers has been durable and dependable, but his play has been inconsistent. Regardless, he still might have priced himself out of Green Bay. The center market is limited. It was reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that Myers should have a strong market and may command a very strong contract.

The Packers should not have any interest in being the top bidder for Myers. They have alternative options at the center position that can do the job. They should approach this decision the same way they approached Jon Runyan last off-season. Let Myers test the waters – if he finds a strong contract with another team, good for him. If his market ends up being small and inexpensive, he could be a re-sign candidate, but only if it’s for a low price.

Robert Rochell

No harm, but no need. Rochell, a former 4th-round pick, joined the Packers’ practice squad in 2023 and became a contributor on specials teams. He has logged a total of one defensive snap in his two years with the Packers. The Packers should and likely will explore re-signing him on a nearly non-guaranteed, cheap contract to compete for a spot once again, but re-signing him should not be a priority. The Packers will be able to find other players to fill that special team’s role if Rochell goes elsewhere.

T.J. Slaton

The Packers should look to improve, not remain in stasis. Predicting the market for T.J. Slaton has been difficult to pinpoint. Spotrac predicts Slaton will earn around $3.8 million per year. All things considered, that’s a fairly low-cost deal. Slaton has proven to be a solid defender against the run but is unplayable on passing downs. His PFF grades are below average, and his snaps have decreased from 2023. The positive is he’s been available, having never missed a game in his four-year career. He’s a big, stout defender against the run, and the Packers don’t have any other defensive linemen similar to him.

The Packers will likely allow Slaton to test the free agent market while keeping tabs on any offers he has received. They may strongly consider bringing him back for a lower cost because he has a skillset unlike any other defensive linemen on the team. That said, the Packers need to upgrade their defensive front, but re-signing Slaton doesn’t upgrade anything. The Packers should look to spend their cap space and money on defensive linemen – ones better than Slaton.

Eric Stokes

It’s time for a fresh start for both parties involved. After a promising start to his Packers career, Eric Stokes showed more regression than any other first-round pick in recent memory. Stokes had a strong 2021 season but then struggled in 2022 before suffering an injury and missing the second half of the season. In 2023, he only played in 3 games due to injuries as well. He finally was healthy for 2024 but was average at best throughout the season, only playing about half of the defensive snaps.

Looking ahead, there is a lot of uncertainty at the cornerback position for the Packers. With the Packers being expected to move on from Jaire Alexander, the only corners slated to be on the roster are Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Kalen King, Kamal Hadden, Isaiah Dunn, and Kaleb Hayes. Of those names, only two are locks to make the 2025 team. Considering the uncertainty, it would be fair to think re-signing Stokes makes sense, but the Packers should not. It is time to move on. Stokes should try to find a fresh start on a new team, and the Packers should attack the position in free agency and the draft. Running it back with Stokes doesn’t make sense for either side.

Eric Wilson

Let him explore his options, but don’t just let him walk. The 30-year-old veteran linebacker quickly became a favorite of the coaching staff due to his versatility and ability to step in at a moment’s notice. After joining the Packers midway through the 2022 season, Wilson became a special teams ace (logging 826 special teams snaps in just under 3 seasons) and a viable linebacker option for Jeff Hafley (starting 12 games). He’s not a preferred starter, but he is a strong backup option.

Wilson can back up all three linebacker positions. He can step in and wear the green dot if needed. He is better against the run than the pass, although he’s not the surest of tacklers. Last off-season, the Packers re-signed Wilson to a 1 year, $1,377,500 contract. Considering what he provided the Packers last season, they should strongly consider bringing him back again on a contract very similar to his last one. The Packers should and would likely have to offer more money than last year. If he gets a stronger offer from another team, so be it, but the Packers should work to keep Wilson around for another season.

Looking Ahead

Everything the Packers do this offseason should be centered around getting better and becoming contenders. The Packers already secured their kicker and a potential starting linebacker for 2025, so they are off to a solid start, but there is more work to be done. Some of that work may include letting some guys walk. There’s no harm in bringing players back on low-cost, non-guaranteed contracts and giving them a chance to compete for a roster spot. That said, the Packers should not be complacent and should still look to add competition at every position. The window for contention is now, so make the most of it.