NFL free agency kicked off a few weeks ago. The Green Bay Packers were expected to be active, but were not as aggressive as some may have predicted. Here is a look at the latest free agency update along with some predictions for the draft in April.
For general manager Brian Gutekunst, the one and done post season run was disappointing. Gutekunst stated “I think for me, the thing that’s been on my mind as we concluded this season is we need to continue to ramp up our sense of urgency,” at the end of last season.
So just how much “urgency” has been displayed? One could argue not much as the Packers added only one corner, one wide receiver who probably won’t see the field much other than on special teams and a piece to their offensive line. A counter argument could be made that the price as prices among all positions this cycle were out of this world expensive.
DK Metcalf signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was rewarded a five-year $150 million dollar contract. Even Cooper Kupp, who was nothing special last season, earned a three-year $45 million dollar contract with Seatle. That is not an investment Gutekunst would have ever been willing to make.
But is that the problem? There is an argument that he spends when he needs to as he brought in safety Xavier McKinney last season as well as Josh Jacobs. So, all in all, he is willing to spend when the price is right.
The Packers did sign former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman earlier this week. It’s hard to imagine that there is an actual place for Hardman other than special teams. Hardman is a speedy player, but it’s doubtful that there will be a big role for him within the offense.
Overall, this free agency class was not overly exciting. Despite the class lacking in elite talent, the “urgency” was not prevalent this free agency cycle by Gutekunst. The biggest concern moving forward is the defensive line, which was wildly inconsistent last season. Gutekunst made not one new addition. There certainly were not any elite players available, but a simple extra piece added to the rotation would have been beneficial.
Looking back on the 2024 season, the Packers struggled majorly with keeping up with the big dogs of the NFC. As of now, the team has added no major improvements to any of the positions of need. It seems as if the plan is to rely on more youth through the draft, which seems like an all but promising approach, as Brian Gutekunst struggles to draft impactful players in the first round.
From Lukas Van Ness, who has only had seven sacks in his first two seasons to Rashan Gary who has yet to have a 10-sack season, the time for “drafting and developing” is over. If the urgency to start competing for championships is the goal, drafting another player that will take multiple years to develop into a true playmaker is not the answer in this upcoming draft.
The Packers have already hosted a draft and develop type of player, as Texas A&M pass rusher Shemar Stewart was in Green Bay on Wednesday for a pre-draft visit via his Instagram.
Stewart is the ideal build for a pass rusher. With great speed and size, he carries all the attributes of a star pass rusher. Despite the athleticism, his college stats are underwhelming. In Stewart’s three seasons at Texas A&M he had just 4.5 sacks.
Despite the underwhelming college career, Stewart performed well at the combine and posted a 10.0 Relative Athletic Score. That is always a factor in Gutekunst’s draft evaluation. Will Gutekunst draft yet another project? Or will he change his ways and draft for the now to start competing for championships?
Time will tell as the draft is quickly approaching. I’d look for the Packers to go defensive line or cornerback round one.
