Green Bay Packers News 2023
Posted: 19 Jan 2023 11:49
https://packerswire.usatoday.com/lists/ ... ent-class/
It’s going to be an interesting offseason once again for the Green Bay Packers. In addition to not knowing what is going to happen at the quarterback position just yet, they again are going to be limited in what they can do in free agency.
Over the Cap currently has the Packers at about $20 million over the projected 2023 salary cap. In terms of creating cap space via roster cuts, the Packers are limited in what they can do, especially if they want to remain competitive, which I believe is the case, regardless of who the quarterback is.
So in order to get out of the red while also having enough cap space to function, as Brian Gutekunst alluded to when speaking to reporters last Friday, there again will be a number of contract restructures that will lower the 2023 cap hits for several players, but push those cap charges into future seasons.
I certainly wouldn’t expect any big free agent signings because of their limited spending power, and with what I’m guessing is very few, if any, roster cuts, this team could look quite similar in 2023, especially if Rodgers gets his way with players like Allen, Lazard, Marcedes Lewis, and Randall Cobb returning. If Green Bay is going to bounce back from an 8-9 season, internal development will be a must.
With that said, before the Packers can begin entertaining the idea of bringing in new faces once free agency begins, they have 17 of their own free agents to make decisions on–some, of course, easier than others.
There are three free agent classes, unrestricted, restricted, and exclusive rights. This offseason, the Packers’ free agent class fits into either the unrestricted or restricted categories. An unrestricted free agent is the most well-known kind, where the player has the ability to negotiate a contract with any team and can sign wherever they choose.
A restricted free agent (RFA), on the other hand, is a player with three accrued NFL seasons, and he has a few, well, restrictions in free agency. The Packers have the ability to place a first-round, second-round, original-round, or right-of-first-refusal tender on their restricted free agents. If a second-round tender is placed on a player, for example, that RFA can still negotiate with other teams, and if they receive an offer, the current team – or the Packers, in this situation – would be able to either match the contract or decline and the new team would owe Green Bay a second-round pick since that was the tender placed on the RFA.
These RFA contracts are one-year deals, and the player will become an unrestricted free agent the following offseason. Their salaries are predetermined by the CBA and are dependent on which tender they receive. For some context, in 2022, a first-round tender came with a contract of $5.562 million.
On top of all of that, several of the Packers’ pending unrestricted free agents have voids on their contracts. In short, this is a bookkeeping measure that allowed Green Bay to add on “fake” years to the contract as part of restructures, so they could lower the current year’s cap hit. However, those added-on years don’t actually extend the life of the contract, and when it’s up, all of the cap charges that were pushed into those voided years come due, and in this case, will be carried on the 2023 salary cap, even if that player is playing elsewhere. The only way to avoid this is to come to a new contract agreement, which would then allow the Packers to spread those cap hits out over the contract term.
So now that we have all of that out of the way, let’s take a closer look at each of the Packers’ 17 unrestricted or restricted free agents this offseason.
Unrestricted free agents
Adrian Amos (Voided Contract)
Amos has been one of the most steady and reliable players, not only on this Packers’ defense during his tenure in Green Bay but at the safety position throughout the NFL. However, 2022 was certainly a down year for him, with missed tackles and coverage breakdowns on the back end (which certainly wasn’t all on Amos) occurring more often than usual. The safety position for the Packers in 2023 is very thin, with only Darnell Savage and Tariq Carpenter under contract.
Dean Lowry (Voided Contract)
I think Lowry gets more grief than he should. The depth of the interior defensive line room over the last few years forced him into a larger role than what he probably should have had, and for a player who is more of a run defender, he was asked to get after the quarterback quite a bit. The Packers need to add to this position in the offseason, but on a cheaper deal and with a reduced role, I do think re-signing Lowry makes sense.
Mason Crosby (Voided Contract)
This is a tough one. Crosby was still very good throughout the season on field goal attempts, but it’s clear he doesn’t have the same power he once did. 50-yard attempts at Lambeau late in the season were barely making it over the cross-bar, and he also had one of the highest kickoff return rates in the NFL.
Marcedes Lewis (Voided Contract)
Lewis is still an elite blocking tight end and a key part of the Packers’ run game. I have to think that if he wants to return, Green Bay will happily welcome him back.
Allen Lazard
I would guess that the Packers would want Lazard back, given his impact both on the passing game and as a run blocker. We know he’s not a No. 1 wide receiver, but he’s reliable. With that said, with the wide receiver market exploding last offseason, it is very possible that Lazard will be out of the Packers’ price range.
Robert Tonyan (Voided Contract)
Of the Packers’ tight ends, Tonyan was the only consistent threat in the passing game. However, this position very much lacked playmaking ability. Although Tonyan was reliable, he ranked 35th out of 43 tight ends in yards per catch last season, although in his defense, to the degree that was impacted by how he was utilized. Getting more dynamic at this position should be high on the to-do list, but Tonyan is one of the names that Rodgers mentioned he wanted back.
Jarran Reed (Voided Contract)
The play of the interior defensive line, against both the run and the pass, was a big reason behind the defense’s success at the end of the season, and Reed’s emergence was a key part of that. He recorded eight pressures in the final three games and five stops per PFF. I know Green Bay just drafted Devonte Wyatt in the first round but adding more high-end talent to this position, that for much of the season, struggled against the run and creating pressure will be important. Whether or not Reed is back will, of course, depend on contract value, but also what other options are out there for the Packers.
Randall Cobb (Voided Contract)
Follow the flow chart:
Is Aaron Rodgers back? Yes. Then so is Randall Cobb.
Is Aaron Rodgers back? No. Then neither is Randall Cobb.
Dallin Leavitt and Eric Wilson
Let’s put these two together since their situations are similar. Both were core special teams players and played key roles in the Packers’ turnaround on special teams. This past offseason, Gutey mentioned that the Packers took a different approach on special teams by prioritizing special teams-specific additions. Fast forward to last Friday, and Gutey said that the Packers would take a similar approach this offseason. Would guess that Green Bay would like to have both players back if they could.
Rudy Ford
Ford was a difference-maker as a flier on special teams, and started to see regular playing time at safety during the second half of the season. He was a turnover magnet and a very willing tackle. With the safety room lacking depth, and his ability to contribute on special teams, I would guess that Ford is back.
Corey Ballentine
Ballentine ended up playing 106 special teams snaps for the Packers, all of which came in Week 10 and beyond after being promoted from the practice squad. If the Packers were happy with his play, Ballentine would be an inexpensive contributor to the special teams unit in 2023.
Keisean Nixon
For the first time since I don’t even know when, the Packers had a game-changing presence on special teams. Nixon was an All-Pro and the best kick returner in the NFL. I don’t care how; just find a way to re-sign him.
Justin Hollins
Hollins was a sneaky in-season addition for the Packers. In six games with the Packers, Hollins logged nine pressures, including three sacks. Once again, the edge rusher depth is a concern entering this offseason.
