Paul Bretl | 3/8/2025
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The NFL’s free agency window is on the cusp of opening up. So what do you need to know about this year’s NFL free agency period and how it pertains to the Packers?
The legal tampering period begins on Monday, March 10th, when teams can begin negotiating with outside free agents. Deals can be agreed to at that time but won’t become official until the free agency period and new league year officially begins on March 12th at 12:00 PM CT.
During his season-ending press conference, GM Brian Gutekunst mentioned that the time to compete for championships has arrived, and part of that equation for the Packers is ramping up the sense of urgency throughout the team. And with that, one of the big questions this offseason is, how does that need for urgency and the need to compete for titles manifest within the front office?
“I think I view every offseason that we have to attack it aggressively,” said Gutekunst after the season. “The opportunities that present themselves, whether that be free agency or trade, are different every year. Every year there’s not going to be a Josh Jacobs or an Xavier McKinney out there to go get.
“So we’ll see kinda what transpires through the free agency class – who gets re-signed, who doesn’t, if there’s salary cap casualties, if there’s trade opportunities, all those. But I think we always operate under the aggressive mindset, but we have a process that we go through and we’ll see what’s available. If it’s right for us, then we’re going to attack it. If they’re not there, it’s not there.”
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So, before the potential chaos ensues, let’s walk through everything you need to know.
How much salary cap space do the Packers have?
The Packers are projected to have $42.78 million in available salary cap space at the moment, according to Over the Cap. In terms of spending power, this ranks as the 18th most in the NFL.
When it comes to spending, that $42.78 million amount is not what the Packers have to spend. There are additional salary cap expenses coming down the road that aren’t yet accounted for. Some of this includes signing the incoming draft class, which by OTC’s projections, will cost roughly $3.1 million in additional cap space.
Green Bay will also have to construct their practice squad, leave cap space for any in-season spending, and account for the contracts of the 52nd and 53rd players on the roster (the offseason cap figure only takes into account the top 51 contracts), among other items.
Ken Ingalls, who independently tracks the Packers’ cap situation, projects that those additional costs will account for another $13.15 million in cap space. That, plus the cost of the draft class and the Packers’ spending ability, is more so in the $26-ish million range.
The Packers do have the means to create more salary cap space if Brian Gutekunst feels the ned to so. One avenue could come from trading or releasing Jaire Alexander, which would free up an additional $6.8 million in cap space for this offseason.
Green Bay could also look to kick some salary cap charges down the road through contract restructures–something they did a lot of during the 2021 and 2022 offseasons. The benefit in the now is that it creates more cap room in the present, but those cap charges have to come due and hit the books at some point, so the downside is that a player’s cap hit in future years is increased.
For the right player, Gutekunst is obviously willing to maneuver the salary cap as needed, but he very much likes where the team is positioned now cap-wise compared to recent years, where they felt the effects of those previous cap moves.
“Certainly we’d love to be in that situation every year where you have a lot of flexibility to do what you need to do,” Gutekunst said. “I think depending on the opportunities that are out there and your football team or where you’re at can dictate some of that. Again, I think whenever there are players like X or Josh that are out there, which isn’t very often, I think even if you don’t have great flexibility, you have to really consider adding those kind of players because there’s just not that many of ’em.
“So again, I feel really good where we’re at right now, would love to stay in that kind of flexibility year to year. We’ll certainly try to do that, but at the same time if we kinda have to do some different things because we have an opportunity to acquire a player that can impact our team like these two guys did, we’ll do it.”
Free agency moves already made
K Brandon McManus re-signed: McManus and the Packers agreed to a three-year deal worth $15.3 million. This move gives the Packers much-needed stability at the kicker position, something that had been lacking. For more on this move, click here.
LB Isaiah McDuffie re-signed: The Packers signed McDuffie to a two-year deal worth up to $9.5 million. The move gives the Packers reliable depth at linebacker and also retains a valuable special teams contributor. For more on the signing, click here.
Packers re-sign most of their exclusive rights free agent class: According to SI’s Bill Huber, the Packers re-signed each of their ERFAs. None of this comes as a surprise. An ERFA is a player with two or fewer accrued NFL seasons. By tendering them a contract, that player cannot negotiate with other teams, and the contract they receive is a league minimum deal based on their tenure.
Given the low salary commitment required by the team, coupled with the fact that these were important depth players on the Packers roster last season, like I said, none of this comes as a surprise.
RB Emanuel Wilson
P Daniel Whelan
S Zayne Anderson
OL Kadeem Telfort
Bo Melton and Arron Mosby are also ERFAs, and it hasn’t been reported that they have been tendered at this time, but that’s likely to come for the reasons mentioned.
Who are the Packers’ unrestricted free agents?
Excluding McManus and McDuffie, who have been re-signed, below are the other members of the Packers’ unrestricted free agent class.
Each offseason, I go through my prediction series for each of the Packers’ free agents. I explore why the Packers would re-sign each player, why they would let them go, and then make a prediction.
Below are what those predictions are, but for the detailed analysis on the why behind my decision, follow the links.
LB Eric Wilson: Re-signed
CB Robert Rochell: Re-signed
IDL TJ Slaton: Let go
TE Tyler Davis: Re-signed
CB Corey Ballentine: Re-signed
CB Eric Stokes: Let go
C Josh Myers: Let go
RB AJ Dillon: Let go
OT Andre Dillard: Re-signed
A lot of factors in play when it comes to making a trade happen
DK Metcalf, Trey Hendrickson, and maybe Myles Garrett are all players available via trade this offseason. From a pure football perspective, adding any one of those players to this Packers team makes all the sense in the world. But as we all know, there are a lot more factors in play than just that element.
As Gutekunst described after the Packers’ season, it’s not only a draft pick or two that you’re sending away, but the team also loses out on an inexpensive four-year rookie deal and a young, ascending player heading towards their prime. Along with that, the team is also going to be acquiring a contract that often needs to be reworked and then comes with a hefty cap hit that now has to be figured into the team’s long-term plans.
“You’d better be right,” said Gutekunst when asked about trading a high draft pick for a player. “When you trade a high pick for a veteran player, you’re trading a young, really good contract for a player who’s proven but is probably expensive. So you’re giving up a pick and salary-cap space.”
Of course, on the flip side, the team is getting a proven and established player who should make not only an immediate impact but a high impact as well.
After the season, Gutekunst mentioned that the time to compete for championships is now and that greater urgency is needed throughout the roster. The question is, however, is that sense of urgency rolling through the front office as well and does it manifest itself in the Packers going off-script when it comes to building out their roster?
For the right player, Gutekunst will consider making such a trade, but those other aforementioned factors very much are a part of he equation and carry weight in the decision-making process.
“So I think you’ve got to weigh that,” Gutekunst added. “And if it’s the right player, if you feel like he can be a dynamic player who can change your football team, I think you’ve got to consider that, because there’s not many of those guys out there. But I think you have to also understand what you’re giving up.”
Positions of need and top free agents available
Cornerback: The Packers are at a cornerback crossroads. It’s been reported that the team is open to trading Jaire Alexander, which would leave them with Keisean Nixon, Carrington Valentine, Kamal Hadden, Kalen King, Kaleb Hayes, and Isaiah Dunn under contract. Beyond Nixon and Valentine, Dunn’s 116 defensive snaps over four seasons is the most among the rest of that room.
Improved depth to elevate the competition and to raise the floor of this position group is needed, but so is an addition or two who can push Nixon and Valentine for playing time. This cornerback room last season, even without Alexander for the second half, did well at eliminating big plays. However, the Packers ranked 31st in pass deflections, while Nixon allowed a completion rate of 66% and Valentine 82%.
“You know me. I’d love all those guys to be 6-3 1/2 and 220. I’d love that,” Gutekunst said. “I do think with what Jeff’s trying to do, there’s a lot more vision and awareness and instincts out there than maybe we’ve played with in the past.
“So, again, it’s still very important to me that we’re big out there and have some length. But I will say both those guys played very, very well for us. I’m excited about what they’re going to do continuing in this scheme.”
Of the Packers’ positions of need, this feels like the one where they will make a splash. The need is the greatest at cornerback, and the free agency class is fairly deep.
DJ Reed – New York Jets
Charvarius Ward – San Francisco 49ers
Byron Murphy – Minnesota Vikings
Carlton Davis- Detroit Lions
Asante Samuel Jr. – LA Chargers
Paulson Adebo – New Orleans Saints
Defensive line: As Gutekunst said at the NFL combine, if the Packers are going to accomplish the goals that they have in 2025, the pass rush has to improve and be more consistent. Jeff Hafley dialed up as many pressures as he could through blitzes and simulated pressures, but when it came to the Packers winning up front, the defensive line ranked 26th in ESPN’s pass-rush win rate metric.
That lack of a steady pass rush, particularly against the top teams like Minnesota, Detroit, and Philadelphia, left the second and third levels of the Packers’ defense exposed, resulting in some big and efficient days for those opposing quarterbacks.
“I think the biggest thing and we talked a little about it earlier is just the fact we need to affect the quarterback with four,” Gutekunst said. “How we do that kind of remains to be seen. We had good moments last year, but it just needs to be more consistent. It needs to be able to control the game when we need to control the game and finish games off.”
This year’s draft class along the defensive front is extremely deep, which could impact how the Packers address this need in free agency. Specifically, perhaps we don’t see Gutekunst spending a ton of free-agent dollars along the defensive line, knowing there is impactful talent on rookie deals to be had throughout the draft.
DE Khalil Mack – LA Chargers
DE Josh Sweat – Philadelphia Eagles
DE Haason Reddick – New York Jets
IDL Milton Williams – Philadelphia Eagles
DE Malcolm Koonce – Las Vegas Raiders
DE Baron Browning – Arizona Cardinals
IDL Levi Onwuzurike – Detroit Lions
DE Dayo Odeyingbo – Indianapolis Colts
DE Chase Young – New Orleans Saints
DE Azeez Ojulari – New York Giants
IDL BJ Hill – Cincinnati Bengals
Offensive line: At the bare minimum, bolstering the depth here should be on Gutekunst’s radar. While the Eagles’ defensive line exposed many starting offensive line units, and as Gutekunst said, he doesn’t want to overreact to one performance, the Packers’ inexperienced depth up front was taken advantage of in the playoffs.
Internally, I’m sure the hope is that Jacob Monk, Kadeem Telfort, and Travis Glover all make strides in 2025, but banking on that comes with risks as well. Particularly at the offensive tackle spot, we’ve seen the Gutekunst bring in veteran free agents over the years, including Rick Wagner, Jared Veldheer, Daniel Kelly, and Andre Dillard.
“Those big guys are hard to find, so that’s never something we’re not going to address,” said Gutekunst. “Like we’ve been pretty consistent in our time here. We very much believe that, with the exception of quarterback, winning in the trenches is how we need to get it done.
“And so, we’ve got some decisions to make as we move forward on the offensive line, and as we go through that, there could be some shuffling around.”
Perhaps Gutekunst could explore options at center with Josh Myers a free agent, but given that there are options on the roster to fill that role in Monk, Elgton Jenkins, and Sean Rhyan, coupled with the Packers turning to the draft to find long-term starting options along the offensive line, I don’t know that we see Gutekunst take a swing at that position in free agency.
So for that reason, outside of Dalman, the free agents below are expected to come with more modest price tags.
C Drew Dalman – Atlanta Falcons
G Kevin Zeitler – Detroit Lions
G Dalton Risner – Minnesota Vikings
OT Tyron Smith – New York Jets
OT Morgan Moses – New York Jets
G Brandon Scherff – Jacksonville Jaguars
OT Jedrick Wills – Cleveland Browns
C Ryan Kelly – Indianapolis Colts
C Coleman Shelton – Chicago Bears
G Laken Tomlinson – Seattle Seahawks
Wide receiver: This is a bit of a difficult needle for Gutekunst to thread. What the Packers really need is a true No. 1 target, something he’s acknowledged but also mentioned that he believes there are players in Green Bay’s current receiver room who can turn into that player. The problem is, when looking at outside additions, is that it’s not easy finding that level of player on the market. As of now, I’d say the only free agent who fits that mold is Davante Adams.
So, in a Packers receiver room that has depth and a lot of good contributors, does adding another No. 2 or No. 3 wideout move the needle for this unit? I’m not so sure. I think in that instance, you’re still holding out hope that someone emerges above the rest.
Now, having said that, with competition being a cornerstone element for this Packers team over the years, perhaps in an effort to ramp up urgency–something this Packers team needs more of, as Gutekunst put it–he brings in outside additions to help push and elevate the play of the receivers already on Green Bay’s roster.
“You’d like to have somebody move into that space,” Gutekunst said of having a No. 1 receiver, “but, at the same time, I’d like multiple guys to be able to move into that space. What I’m looking for is guys that, when they’re called upon, can perform at a high level. I think we have a lot of guys that have done that.”
Davante Adams – New York Jets
Chris Godwin – Tampa Bay Bucs
Amari Cooper – Buffalo Bills
Stefon Diggs – Houston Texans
DeAndre Hopkins – Kansas City Chiefs
Darius Slayton – New York Giants
Keenan Allen – Chicago Bears
Mike Williams – Pittsburgh Steelers
Joshua Palmer – LA Chargers
Marquez Valdes-Scantling – Buffalo Bills