Offseason OL moves have Packers positioned to be even better rushing offense

Paul Bretl | 4/2/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — On paper anyway, the Packers’ offensive line unit, particularly in the running game, looks like an improved unit following free agency.

“Certainly,” said GM Brian Gutekunst on Monday when asked if Aaron Banks and Elgton Jenkins can make the for a better run-blocking unit. “I think we have the potential to be. At the same time, those five guys got to work in concert and there’s a lot of work that has to be done before you ever get to that point.”

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The play of the Packers’ offensive line unit last season was good, especially in pass protection. This was a unit that ranked seventh in ESPN’s pass-block win rate metric, while Jordan Love ranked 23rd in pressure rate despite being the most blitzed quarterback in football.

In the run game, the Packers leaned heavily on that facet, and it was often the catalyst for overall success on offense, along with helping Green Bay to put games away late. Including the playoffs, Josh Jacobs would rush for 1,410 yards at 4.4 yards per rush with 16 touchdowns.

This was a unit that was really good at churning out four, five, and six-yard carries. However, what was missing were the big, explosive runs. PFF’s breakaway percentage metric measures how often a running back has a carry of 15 or more yards. In that category, Jacobs ranked 32nd.

That isn’t a Jacobs stat either. To me, that’s about the offensive line. With help from PFF, nearly 80% of Jacobs’ total rushing yards came after contact. For some context, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry were in the 50%-55% range.

So how do you get more big runs? The offensive line helps Jacobs get to the second level more cleanly and more often. Along the interior, the Packers seem to be in a better position to accomplish that.

Free agent signee Aaron Banks will take over at left guard for the Packers. The strength of his game during his career has been as a run-blocker, specifically, as ESPN’s Matt Bowen pointed out, in the gap run scheme, which the Packers leaned heavily on last season with Jacobs.

While not the be-all, end-all, Banks would rank 27th out of 81 eligible guards last season in PFF’s run-blocking metric.

“A really large man that can do all the things that Matt (LaFleur) asks those guys to do in our scheme as far as our ability to get off the ball quickly, get out in space and really run,” Gutekunst said of Banks.

“Again, this isn’t a 295-pound man. This is a 330-pound man. His ability to play physical in the run game and anchor down in the pass pro is something where he’s played at a high level for a few years now, and to get a guy like that really in the prime of his career is something I thought would really benefit us.”

With Banks at left guard, Jenkins will be moving to center. By comparison, while no new addition to the roster was made, having Jenkins at center instead of Josh Myers should provide the Packers with an upgrade.

Out of 42 eligible centers during the 2024 season, Myers would rank 41st in run-blocking grade.

“We were pretty good last year,” LaFleur said of the Packers’ running game on Tuesday. “You try to avoid the comparisons on a year-to-year basis, but I’m excited about the group that we have coming in. It’s going to take a lot of work, that’s the bottom line. Every season’s a new season, and you can’t take anything for granted.

“We’re excited about Banks coming in and then moving Elgton back to center. We feel like we have a lot of pieces. There’s going to be some good competition at a lot of spots, but you got to re-create it each and every year, and the only way you do that is you get to work.”

As Gutekunst said, you have to have the ability to both run and throw the ball depending on the opponent and the situation at hand. With that said, there was a more run-centric approach that this Packers’ offense took last season, and if Green Bay is going to continue leaning into that element–which it appears they are–then the ability to create more chunk runs has to be a part of the equation.

And while it is only early April, it would appear that the Packers are in a better position to do just that.

Packers’ 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan will compete with Rasheed Walker at LT

Paul Bretl | 4/1/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — After competing and playing at right guard during his rookie season, Jordan Morgan will now have the opportunity to compete with Rasheed Walker this year for the Packers’ starting left tackle role.

“It’s going to be a great competition,” Matt LaFleur said at the annual NFL league meetings. “Him and Sheed are going to battle it out and hopefully push each other to be that much better.”

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Left tackle is Morgan’s natural position. Of the 2,404 snaps he played in college at Arizona, 2,392 of them came at left tackle, according to PFF. However, very quickly upon his arrival to Green Bay, Morgan found himself at right guard, where he competed with Sean Rhyan for playing time.

The learning curve that Morgan experienced last season was two-fold. Along with adjusting to the play speed and strength of the NFL, he was also moving from tackle to guard, where there is less time to react.

“You’ve got to be in a three-point stance a lot more,” said Morgan during training camp about the move from tackle to guard. “Everything happens quicker. You’ve got to get your hands on people quicker.”

But in addition to that, Morgan also went from playing on the left side of the offensive line to the right side, which comes with adjustments as well. In short, every movement that Morgan had grown accustomed to making had to be reversed.

“I’d say just technique,” Morgan added last the summer about playing on the right side. “I mean, the footwork and the hand placement. I’m used to punching with my left then getting out there and having to punch with my right. It’s so different and you’ve got to get used to the timing and pick up everything quicker.”

In addition to making a position change, Morgan dealt with a lingering shoulder injury as well. That injury sidelined him during training camp and kept him out of the preseason. It then eventually landed him on injured reserve.

Morgan would end up playing 186 snaps as a rookie, which included one start in Week 9. Otherwise, he was in a right guard rotation with Rhyan, who dominated much of the playing time.

If there was any doubt following last year’s draft about whether or not Walker would start at left tackle, those notions were put to bed quickly, with Walker seizing control of that job almost immediately last offseason.

On the season, Walker would surrender just three sacks and four quarterback hits, but he did give up 35 pressures. While not the be-all, end-all, Walker ranked 45th out of 87 tackles in PFF’s pass-blocking efficiency metric, and he was 69th in run-blocking grade.

Also, not to be overlooked is the long-term component of all this. Walker is a free agent next offseason. Zach Tom is in line for a big payday, and Elgton Jenkins could be due for an extension in the next year, and Aaron Banks just got a big deal in free agency. Not everyone up front can be paid, so there is a lot of value in having a starter on a rookie deal, whether that be this year or beyond.

Competition, often along the offensive line but throughout the roster, has been a catalyst for this Packers’ team as a whole over the last two seasons, and LaFleur and GM Brian Gutekunst want to continue leaning into that element. Naturally, the focus is on Jordan Love and the passing game, but success starts up front with time in the pocket and having a run game to lean on.

While Walker has given the Packers stability at left tackle, there is room for improvement as well, and whether it’s fair or not, as a first-round pick, Morgan is going to get every opportunity to prove that he can start somewhere along the offensive line.

“I think Rasheed’s done a lot of really, really good things for us,” Gutekunst said. “I don’t think he necessarily needs to show anything. Like anything, you’ve got to continue to play at a high level. We’re going to have a lot of competition there. Not just at his spot, but all across the offensive line.”

Packers’ Brian Gutekunst doesn’t close door on Jaire Alexander’s return; conversations ongoing

Paul Bretl | 3/31/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — During the NFL combine, it was reported by Ian Rapoport that the Packers were having trade conversations centered around cornerback Jaire Alexander. However, with April nearly here and the NFL draft on the horizon, Alexander remains a part of the team.

“I think we’re still working through that,” said GM Brian Gutekunst on Monday at the NFL league meeting. Obviously, a very, very good player for us, and we have some time here to figure that out. See what’s best for him and the organization.”

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Alexander suffered a torn posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) in his right knee during the Packers’ Week 8 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Alexander attempted to return in Week 11 against Chicago, but would exit the game early on.

During the second half of the season, Alexander appeared to be trending in the right direction as he returned to the practice field and his workload seemed to steadily increase. However, Alexander was never able to get to the point where he was able to play on Sundays, and he ultimately ended up undergoing surgery prior to the Packers’ Week 18 finale, which officially ended his season.

When players were cleaning out their lockers following the season-ending loss to Philadelphia, Alexander was asked by local media members to speak, but he declined, adding that he doesn’t know if he will be in Green Bay next season and that he didn’t have anything good to say.

When on the field, Alexander continues to operate at a high level. This includes this past season, allowing a completion rate of just 56% on 25 targets with a pick-six and three pass breakups. Unfortunately, due to injuries, Alexander often hasn’t been available–a “frustrating” reality for both Alexander and the Packers, as Gutekunst put it after the season.

Since the 2021 season, he has appeared in only 34 out of a possible 68 games. This includes playing only four games in 2021, and seven games in each of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. During the 2022 season, when he made 16 starts, Alexander was a second-team All-Pro.

On Monday, Gutekunst didn’t rule out Alexander remaining with the Packers for the 2025 season, saying “There could be a possibility, absolutely,” but those conversations around what’s next are still being had.

Of course, this is one of those questions where we ask ourselves, how else is Gutekunst supposed to respond? But if the opportunity to run things back for at least one more season exists, keeping that door open does make sense, given the unknowns that the Packers currently have at the cornerback position.

With that said, ultimately, whatever things end up going, Gutekunst wants to find the best solution for everyone involved.

“John Thornton is his agent,” Gutekunst said, “we talk weekly about these things, working together on finding the best solution for everybody. Obviously, we invested a lot into Jaire, and we want to make sure that if he’s not going to be on our football team helping us win games, that we get something back for that investment. So we’ll see where it goes, but again, working with him weekly and trying to figure out what’s best for both Jaire and the Packers.”

There doesn’t seem to be a hard deadline anytime soon when it comes to finding a resolution, whatever that may be, although Gutekunst did acknowledge that finding a solution before the NFL draft would be helpful.

“I think that would be nice,” said Gutekunst, “but I don’t think you can say that for sure. But I think that would be helpful.”

With two years left on his current deal, Alexander comes with a cap hit this season of $24.99 million. If traded or released, the Packers would save $6.87 million in cap space for the 2025 season, and Alexander’s contract would be off the books for the 2026 season, when Green Bay has some potentially expensive roster decisions to make.

However, if traded or released with a post-June 1st designation, the benefit in the short term is that the Packers’ cap savings in 2025 would sit at $17.11 million instead of $6.87 million. But the downside is that a portion of Alexander’s contract is still on the books in 2026 and would still be something that the Packers would have to continue to navigate around from a cap perspective.

Elgton Jenkins Packers’ new starting center, confirms GM Brian Gutekunst

Paul Bretl | 3/31/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Not surprisingly, Elgton Jenkins is going to be the Packers’ new starting center for the 2025 season, GM Brian Gutekunst confirmed on Monday at the NFL league meetings.

“We had plenty of conversations with Elgton leading up to it and obviously he played center in college,” Gutekunst said. “We feel he’s got a chance to be an All-Pro center.”

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The move from left guard to center is sparked by the addition of Aaron Banks in free agency. Banks played left guard during his time in San Francisco, and with Josh Myers signing with the New York Jets in free agency, Jenkins was a natural fit to fill the void at center.

During his time at Mississippi State, Jenkins was the starting center for his final two seasons, playing over 1,700 snaps at that position. In the NFL with the Packers, Jenkins has played 369 total snaps at center, 297 of which came in 2020, although he did start one game there last season when Myers was sidelined.

“We’ve talked about it a lot, how versatility plays into our offensive line and having guys that can move to different spots, and Elgton’s one of those guys who can play all five spots, so he’s a luxury, but I’m excited to see what he can do at center, as well,” Gutekunst added.

Beyond what takes place after the ball is snapped as a run blocker and pass protector, there is additional work that is on the center’s plate pre-snap. This includes identifying how the defense is aligned and communicating any protection changes that have to be made.

There may be some adjustments when it comes to footwork and blocking responsibilities, but overall for Jenkins, as he described prior to the Packers’ Week 9 matchup last season against Detroit, he doesn’t see the move from guard to center as a difficult transition.

“I don’t think so,” said Jenkins last season about the transition from guard to center being a difficult one. “You’ve got to go out there and do your job. It’s not like something that I haven’t played before, so being able to go out there, communicate, get everybody on the same page. I’m familiar with the offense, so it’s really just the fundamentals and things like that.”

The Packers were one of the better pass-blocking units in the NFL last season, ranking seventh in ESPN’s pass-block win rate metric. Jordan Love also ranked 23rd in pressure rate despite being blitzed at the highest rate during the regular season.

However, if there is an area of opportunity for the Packers’ offensive line to grow, it comes in the run game, specifically in the offense’s ability to generate explosive runs. Josh Jacobs would rank 32nd last season in PFF’s breakaway rate, which measures how often a back rushed for 15 or more yards. Helping Jacobs generate more big plays will be the offensive line getting him cleanly to the second level more often.

“I think we have the potential to be,” said Gutekunst about being a better running team. “At the same time, those five guys got to work in concert and there’s a lot of work that has to be done before you ever get to that point. Every year’s a different year. These guys have to put in the work and come together as a unit, but I think we have the potential to be that.”

The addition of Banks and Jenkins moving to center could also provide the Packers with more flexibility when it comes to where Jordan Morgan competes for playing time. He could, again, compete with Sean Rhyan at right guard or potentially, there is the flexibility to get him some left tackle snaps if that’s deemed necessary.

“I think just like last year, he’ll take reps in multiple spots, but he’ll certainly get a shot there,” Gutekunst said of Morgan.

OL depth unknowns still linger for Packers heading into NFL draft

Paul Bretl | 3/28/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Continuity was a critical element to the success that the Packers experienced last season along the offensive line. However, looking around at the rest of the NFL, that’s not something Green Bay should bank on happening again in 2025, which is why bolstering the depth up front still needs to be on GM Brian Gutekunst’s to-do list, even after spending big in free agency.

According to TruMedia, no offensive line unit in football during the 2024 season played more snaps together than the Packers. Green Bay’s starting combination of Rasheed Walker, Elgton Jenkins, Josh Myers, Sean Rhyan, and Zach Tom were on the field for 80.82% of the team’s offensive snaps, which was the most in the NFL.

At a position where continuity is a vital factor to success, with the sum of the parts along the offensive line being greater than any one individual player, staying healthy helped foster that continuity element and an often high level of play up front, particularly in pass protection, where the Packers ranked seventh in ESPN’s pass-block win rate metric.

“I thought our offensive line, particularly in pass pro, played really, really well all year for the most part, with the exception of a couple games,” Gutekunst said after the season. “But I think all those guys you know, had, you know, had really solid years and improved.”

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Behind the Packers in these rankings, the Buffalo Bills were in a close second at 79.12%, followed by Baltimore at 70.71%, but from there, we saw a steep dropoff. Among the 32 NFL teams, only 11 had their most-used offensive line combination play at least 50% of the offensive snaps. In fact, over one-third of the NFL’s most frequently used offensive line combinations were on the field together for fewer than 34% of their respective offensive snap totals.

The moral of this story is that injuries happen, and teams have to be prepared for them.

The Packers would, unfortunately, experience this in the playoffs when Jenkins exited with an injury against Philadelphia. Without Jenkins and with Jordan Morgan on injured reserve, the Packers turned to rookie Travis Glover–who was seeing his first significant NFL snaps–to fill in, and then eventually Green Bay leaned on second-year lineman Kadeem Telfort after Glover was penalized numerous times.

The Eagles’ ability to generate steady pressure on Jordan Love and to create a strong push in the run game while only rushing four made the already difficult task of breaking free from the Eagles’ two-high coverage shell all the more challenging for the Packers’ offense. Losing that line of scrimmage battle was a key factor to the Packers’ offensive woes in that game.

Now, with that said, the Eagles’ defensive front can make healthy offensive line units look silly, so as Gutekunst said after the season, you don’t want to overreact to one game, especially when, over the course of the season, the Packers’ play up front was mostly good. However, that performance did highlight the unknowns that the Packers have depth-wise along the offensive line at the moment.

“Those big guys are hard to find, so that’s never something we’re not going to address,” said Gutekunst after the season. “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.”

With the addition of Aaron Banks in free agency, who will take over at left guard, which then moves Jenkins to center, the Packers do gain some added flexibility to either have 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan again compete at right guard with Rhyan or even at left tackle with Walker if that’s deemed necessary. But regardless of how that shakes out, one of those three players will be coming off the bench this season, giving the Packers a capable backup option if needed.

However, as the data above illustrates, having one reliable offensive lineman to step in when needed may not be enough. I’m sure the hope internally is that Jacob Monk–who was often inactive late last season–Telfort, and Glover all make strides heading into the 2025 season, allowing them to provide some stability if called upon. However, having said that, banking on that happening comes with obvious risks as well.

Competition throughout the roster has been a catalyst behind the Packers’ rapid ascension over the last two seasons with the youngest team in the NFL, and continuing to lean on that element within the offensive line room to improve the depth should be a part of the offseason equation.

This means that we should again see Gutekunst add to this position in the NFL draft, which is something that he has done a lot of during his tenure. In three of the last four draft classes, the Packers have selected three offensive linemen. Perhaps we don’t see that many additions in 2025 with the team only having eight draft picks, but the recipe for Gutekunst to add to this room very much exists.

“We’re going to continue to lean on versatility,” said Gutekunst in January. “We’ve got three or four guys on our line that could probably play five spots, and that’s, I believe in that. I think every coach that I’ve been around believes in that, and I think that’s an asset that we have that not all teams have.”

Naturally, all the focus is on how the Packers’ passing game can improve, but success for the offense as a whole starts in the trenches with a strong run game to keep Green Bay out of predictable passing situations and by providing Love time in the pocket to operate within the rhythm of the play. The starting five should put the Packers in a position to be successful, but going beyond that group, some unknowns linger.

Packers sign familiar face, bring back LB and special teams ace Kristian Welch

Paul Bretl | 3/28/2025

Green Bay, Wis. — The Packers are bringing back a familiar face. The team announced on Friday that they are signing linebacker Kristian Welch.

Welch spent the 2023 season with the Packers and was a core special teams contributor. That year, from Week 4 through the NFC divisional playoff round, Welch played 237 snaps, or nearly 49 percent of all the Packers’ special teams snaps–the fourth-highest rate on the team. Welch was a regular contributor across four different phases, finished third on the team in tackles, and among 188 eligible players across the NFL, Welch’s special teams grade from PFF ranked 39th.

“Special teams a lot of times is just being–like wanting it more than the other guy,” said Welch last summer. “So the fundamentals, the details are all part of that, the scheme. Really it starts with your effort. Your ability to out-technique your opponent basically.

“It comes down to me being able to block that guy more than he wants to go make the play. And  then beating them with technique within the umbrella of the scheme.”

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Welch was on the Packers’ 90-man roster through training camp and the preseason last summer before being released during roster cutdowns. Welch would initially land with Denver but also spent time with Baltimore in 2024 as well.

“It was tough,” said Matt LaFleur last summer about releasing Welch. “He did everything he could have possibly done. He was making plays. It showed up in every game and I thought he got better throughout the course, going into the OTAs, from where he started to where he is now. He is a much better football player.

“Certainly he’s made his mark in this league on teams, and I’m sure he’ll continue to do that for a long time to come. But I thought he really showed his ability to go in there and play on the defensive side of the ball. That gave us a lot of confidence. He’s a very smart guy, very tough, competitive, everything that you want from a football player, in particular that position. A really good communicator. So, again, it’s tough.

Ultimately, last season’s linebacker room was too crowded for Welch to carve out a roster spot, even though he had the ability to contribute. However, as we take an early look at the state of the linebacker room, there is a more clear path for Welch to make the 53-man this season, with Eric Wilson—another core special teams player—now in Minnesota.

“I honestly love that part about special teams,” added Welch about playing multiple phases. “Each phase has it’s own challenges, right? It’s like a very unique thing in football. It’s just fun. I think it just presents a different challenge than kind of any other phase in the game and just being able to understand each little nuance and get the techniques of a punt set down. And then get the techniques of a punt coverage down. And then being able to tackle in open space. All these things kind of bring it together and that’s what I really just enjoy, honestly, especially in the NFL.”

Special teams is going to be Welch’s bread and butter, but defensively, last summer in Jeff Hafley’s defense, he got work as the middle linebacker with the third defense and made several plays in that role. This included coming away with two interceptions and a pass breakups in three preseason games.

“At the end of the day you just have to be you,” said Welch. “You can’t–you have to be confident in the player that you are. What you bring to the team and doing that best is what’s going to suit the team best.”

Significance of official 30 visits to Packers in pre-draft process

Paul Bretl | 3/27/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — It’s that time of the year in the pre-draft process where reports of official 30 visits with NFL teams will be taking place. So what is a 30-visit, and what is the significance of them to the Green Bay Packers?

During each draft cycle, each team is permitted to have 30 draft prospects at the team facility for an official visit. While we often hear these meetings called “top 30 visits,” it does not mean that all of these players are at the top of the Packers’ draft board.

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Instead, these visits are often reserved for prospects who the team still has questions about, and these meetings provide an additional opportunity to get to know the prospect, go over film, and do medical checks if needed.

“With the exception of the subterfuge that Ted (Thompson) always taught us, it’s really just about answering a question maybe that we don’t have an answer to,” said GM Brian Gutekunst prior to the 2024 NFL draft. “Sometimes that’s a non-combine guy that we need to get medical information on. Sometimes that’s a Combine guy we have, whether it’s a football question, an off-the-field situation or maybe it’s just getting to know him better.”

Perhaps also a part of the equation when determining who to bring in, at least for those potentially picking near the top of the draft, there is some gamesmanship, or “subterfuge,” as Gutekunst put it, involved as well.

“We’ve been fortunate enough to pick a little later in the first round in most of the drafts I’ve been a part of here,” Gutekunst said last offseason. “I don’t know how much of that comes into play. I think certainly if you’re maybe picking higher in the top-10 and things like that, maybe that has more to do. It may have more value. Who knows?”

With some teams, there is actually very little connection between 30 visits and who they end up drafting. With the Packers, however, particularly in recent seasons, there has been a noteworthy connection between who they have in for visits and who they eventually end up selecting in the draft.

Over the last three pre-draft cycles from 2022 through 2024, the Packers have had 90 players in for 30 visits–like every other team has. Of those 90 visits, 21 have ended up on the Packers roster in some capacity–or nearly 25% of visits–whether that be as a draft pick or signing as an undrafted rookie.

“I’d say what stood out to me most about going in the visit, the 30-visit, was basically being in a meeting room with them and basically, instead of like being in the meeting room with just the linebacker coach,” said 2024 third-round pick Ty’Ron Hopper. “It was all of us in a room at one time.

“So, basically it was the head coach, the defensive coordinator and the linebacker coach was basically in there going over film, and like doing plays and things like that. so, I’d say that’s one thing that stood out to me. That made me feel like they was like very interested in me.”

At this point, in the early stages of the 30-visit cycle, it’s been reported that the Packers will be hosting Washington State OL Esa Pole, Tennessee DE James Pearce Jr., Texas A&M DE Shemar Stewart, and Texas WR Isaiah Bond.

So as we all try to decipher which prospects may be high up on the Packers’ draft board, while the 30 visits aren’t the be-all-end-all by any means, they are noteworthy, given Green Bay’s track record in recent years with either signing or selecting those prospects.

“You only have 30 and that’s not very many and they’re very valuable to us, so it’s usually just trying to answer something that you don’t feel you have answered most of the time,” Gutekunst said last offseason. “There’s a lot of guys, you go through the process and you just don’t feel you have a lot to learn from. So those guys are less likely to be on our 30 visit than some, so.”

How the Packers’ 2026 free agent class and salary cap situation may have impacted their approach in 2025

Paul Bretl | 3/25/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The outside world is, of course, fixated on what’s happening right now with the Packers and how good they hope this team can be in 2025. However, for GM Brian Gutekunst, when it comes to the salary cap and construction of the roster, he’s always looking two or three years down the road and how the decisions today will impact the Packers in future years.

“We have a process that we go through and we’ll see what’s available,” said Gutekunst about free agency after the season. “If it’s right for us, then we’re going to attack it. If they’re not there, it’s not there.”

To what degree, I don’t know, but the Packers’ salary cap outlook for the 2026 season, coupled with there being a number of their own players up for new deals–and some big ones at that–I would guess played some sort of factor in how the team approached free agency this offseason.

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Now, with that said, it’s not as if the Packers didn’t do any spending this offseason. Nate Hobbs signed a four-year, $48 million deal, and Aaron Banks signed a four-year deal worth $77 million. But structure-wise, while the hope is that things don’t play out this way, the Packers do have outs as early as 2026 in both deals if that’s what’s needed.

While these are big deals, the Packers maintained some flexibility long-term–or at least as much as you can given the size of the contracts.

So for a team where the theme of the offseason is urgency, which Gutekunst brought up at his season-ending press conference, and with big needs at wide receiver and along the defensive front, why didn’t we see the Packers taking more swings when, as Gutekunst put it, it’s time to start competing for championships?

Looking ahead to 2026 may provide us with some of that insight. As of now, the Packers have $25.61 million in available cap space, according to Over the Cap. Compared to the rest of the NFL, this only ranks 25th. The Packers are currently scheduled to have six players with cap hits of at least $24 million, including two players with cap hits north of $31 million. This season, for some context, the Packers have just three players with a cap hit of at least $24 million and none over the $30 million mark.

So the natural cap hit increases baked into these contracts that are already on the books are going to add some limitations to what the Packers can do cap-wise next offseason, which can then impact the deals that are added to the books during the current offseason.

But in addition to that, one of the trickle-down effects that can come with making a big addition now with heavy guarantees, is that it not only decreases future cap space, but it can impact who is signed down the road, including a team’s own free agents, which the Packers have some key ones next offseason.

This list of 2026 free agents includes Zach Tom, Rasheed Walker, Sean Rhyan, Romeo Doubs, JJ Enagbare, and Christian Watson, along with Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker if their fifth-year options aren’t picked up.

Obviously, not all of those players will be brought back, but Tom and Walker, in particular, are on track to land some big second contracts, and the free agent decisions made today can impact what moves are made–or not made–in the future by the Packers.

“We’ve got to keep making good decisions, and it’s never a one-year thing,” said Gutekunst after the season. “You’re looking at two, three years down the road as far as how these things impact things. We have a lot of good players that are under rookie contracts right now, and we’ve got to make sure we’re able to extend those guys when that time comes, but I feel really good our ability to go do what we need to do to field a championship-level team.”

As always, there are ways to create more cap space, whether it be through veteran cuts or contract restructures. The contract restructures, which in short, pushes cap charges from the current year to future contract years, was a tool that we saw Gutekunst use often during the 2021 and 2022 offseasons in an effort to keep those veteran-heavy Packers’ teams together.

For the right player or in the right situation, Gutekunst will go down that contract restructure path again, but now free of many of those past cap saving maneuvers, he would prefer to operate in the salary cap world that the Packers are currently living in, which is one with flexibility and one where they aren’t reliant on kicking the salary cap can down the road.

“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.”

None of these offseason moves from the GM’s perspective are made within a vacuum. It’s never as simple as how much cap space is available and what’s the cap hit for a player this season? There is a ripple effect that comes after any big decision is made that impacts future years’ cap space and who can be signed or re-signed at that time, and all of that is taken into consideration.

All of this only adds to the importance of a team hitting on their draft picks. Getting high-impact play from players on rookie deals is incredibly valuable in today’s NFL, which the Packers will continue to lean heavily on when it comes to their roster-building approach.

Now, is this foolproof when it comes to getting the Packers to being a championship level team? Absolutely not. Nothing is guaranteed. But when wondering why the Packers didn’t make a splash at receiver or along the defensive line in free agency, there’s a lot that goes into that decision beyond there simply being a need–the cap situation and roster outlook in future years can carry plenty of weight.

In midst of CB unknowns, versatility remains cornerstone for Packers’ secondary and an advantage

Paul Bretl | 3/24/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers still have their share of unknowns at the cornerback position heading into April’s draft. However, what’s becoming more clear, particularly after the signing of Nate Hobbs, is the importance of versatility in Jeff Hafley’s defense and just how much of it Green Bay now has in the secondary, which can play to their advantage.

“You got to be versatile playing in this defense,” said Keisean Nixon late last season. “You can’t just learn one spot you gotta be able to learn multiple positions,”

Hobbs joins the Packers having spent the bulk of his career, especially over the last two seasons, playing in the nickel. But he does have boundary experience at both the NFL and college levels, and given where the need lies for the Packers at cornerback, that is where he could spend most of his playing time in Green Bay.

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However, when pontificating and having this conversation, it would be naive of us to think that he’s going to play one spot or the other. My early guess is that it’s both and when and where will be dependent upon the opponent and the situation at hand within the game.

“Obviously, there’s no secret, I’m a versatile player,” Hobbs said. “I play inside, outside. I’ve played inside and outside in the past, but it’s March. We’ll get to that. I’m willing to do whatever the team needs me to do. I’m a dog, so I’m gonna step wherever I step. If I step at nickel, if I step at corner. If they need me to play safety, god damnit, I’ll play safety.”

As we saw last season, Nixon brings a similar level of versatility to the Packers’ secondary, able to play inside and out and do so at a moment’s notice–a skill and ability that isn’t common at the NFL level, as defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley pointed out last season.

Throughout the season, Hafley would often rave about the versatility that Javon Bullard adds to the defense. As a rookie, Bullard wore a number of hats, whether it was playing from the slot, filling in as the deep safety, blitzing, or helping out in the run game. Green Bay also believes Evan Williams can take on a variety of responsibilities as well, which of course was a factor in their decision to draft him last April.

“We got some of these young guys who give us the versatility to move people around and get creative,” Hafley said last season prior to the Houston game in Week 7. “As you start to see each week, if you turn us on and really watch us, there’s something a little bit new every single week and it’s kind of talked about. We gotta build and build and build and find what we’re good at, who’s good at what and really start to roll.”

Then, of course, there is Xavier McKinney–the ultimate chess piece on the back end of any defense–who gives Hafley seemingly unlimited flexibility when it comes to what he asks him to do.

Versatility is obviously a crucial element for a few reasons. One of which is injuries happen. However, when that occurs, the ability to move your starters around to fill different roles hopefully minimizes the absence of the player who is sidelined.

But in addition to that important aspect, a versatile defense can put a lot on the plate for an opposing offense. From a preparation standpoint, there’s a lot to watch and be ready for throughout the week when the defense is putting a variety of looks on tape. Then pre-snap, quarterbacks won’t as easily get a beat on what’s coming based solely on where defenders are lined up because it’s either a different look or where players are aligned could change once the ball is snapped.

“You start having these different packages of people so you can get guys in different roles so you can create some mismatches,” Hafley said last season. “So you take advantage of situations. So you put yourself in better position to have success. I just think the more we go, the easier it’s gonna be. It takes detailing out by the coaches and the players and we kind of roll with it in the game. But the more competition there is, the more versatility there is, I think we’ll be better and better as we go.”

Hafley obviously has his playbook and defensive philosophies that he believes in and wants to generally stick to. But what we saw in 2024 and will continue to see is an ever-evolving defensive unit that will continue to adjust and adapt on the fly based on who the opponent is and what the players in the Packers’ secondary do well, so they can be put into positions to be successful.

In order to accomplish this, versatility is an important factor, and in the process, it makes life more challenging for offenses as well–and, of course, that’s always a good thing.

“This league’s about matchups and I think if you have guys that can play certain positions that gives you an advantage, then I think it’s our job to coach it and get it done,” Hafley said last season. “I think it’s about adapting. I’ve said this since I got here, it’s not like, ‘Hey, here’s the playbook. This is in. Go run the defense.’ It’s each week, what did we look like? What do we look like when they watch us on tape? What can we do a little bit different to counter that? What do we do really well?

“Let’s do more of it, make it look different. And then as we start to see certain players do certain things, how can we best use them to improve? We have to keep getting better. That’s the whole key to this whole entire thing as we go. Any way that we can adapt and get better, both coaching, playing, scheme, personnel, it’s not just like plug and play. Let’s evolve. I think that’s very important.”

While cornerback still remains a need that the Packers have to address in the draft, and there are areas within that position group that can improve this season, such as making more plays on the ball and limiting the number of receptions, the defensive scheme can continue to help with some of that heavy lifting by putting the players in positions to have the upper hand, and the versatility component that these defenders bring to the table is an important part of making that happen.

So when it comes to the draft and who might be on the Packers’ radar, keep versatility front of mind. Does the prospect have experience playing inside and out? Have they proven to be capable defenders in both man and zone coverages? In addition to that, we know how important size and length are at cornerback for GM Brian Gutekunst, along with the Packers prioritizing awareness and vision, two staples of playing cornerback in Hafley’s defense.

“You know me. I’d love all those guys to be 6-3 1/2 and 220. I’d love that,” Brian Gutekunst said at the NFL combine. “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.”

Cornerback is a need, but how big of a need do the Packers view it heading into NFL draft?

Paul Bretl | 3/21/2025

GREEN BAY, Wis. — On the outside, there continue to be questions about the state of the Packers’ cornerback position, even with the addition of free agent Nate Hobbs.

Where will Hobbs play–the slot or the boundary? If he moves to the boundary, how smooth will that transition be after being a nickel defender for the last two seasons? What about Jaire Alexander? Who will be the other starting boundary cornerback if Alexander doesn’t return? What about the inexperienced depth on the roster currently?

All valid questions. However, internally, the Packers don’t seem to have those same unknowns. Instead, the Packers appear to be quite bullish on Keisean Nixon and his ability to continue starting on the boundary.

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“I think he played really, really well,” GM Brian Gutekunst said at the NFL combine. “I think he really fit what Jeff (Hafley) was trying to do. First of all, he’s an outstanding competitor. I didn’t blink when we asked him to do that, but I just think his athleticism and his ability … with his eyes and his ability to tackle served us well out there. For me, he may not have the length that some of those guys on the outside have, but his awareness and ball skills make up for that.”

While we always have to be mindful of GM-speak, there is a noticeable difference at the NFL combine in how Gutekunst spoke about Nixon and the cornerback position as a whole versus the pass rush, which was evident by his words, has to improve.

After beginning the 2024 season as the Packers’ nickel cornerback, Nixon transitioned early on to the boundary, which helped fill a need there and also allowed Green Bay to get rookie safeties Javon Bullard and Evan Williams on the field together. Although this move from inside to out can be overlooked, it’s a difficult one to make.

“I had a couple guys in college that have been a nickel or a safety, or a dime and a safety,” said defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley late last season. “Never a guy that really went from cornerback inside to nickel. It’s a testament to Keisean’s ability to compete, because nickel is totally drastic, different from corner.”

On the year, Nixon allowed a completion rate of 66% on 86 targets and held opponents to just 9.3 yards per catch with six pass breakups and an interception. Among cornerbacks who played at least 375 coverage snaps, only seven had a lower yards per catch allowed than Nixon. He also ranked 32nd out of 127 eligible cornerbacks in snaps per reception when in man coverage, according to PFF.

The “awareness” and “ball skills” that Gutekunst mentioned when describing Nixon are important elements when it comes to playing cornerback in Jeff Hafley’s defensive scheme and are two elements that, from the sounds of it, the Packers will further prioritize in their evaluation process with draft prospects.

Along with the all-important coverage abilities, Nixon also proved to be a sound tackler and a capable run defender, which didn’t go unnoticed by the Packers’ coaches.

“I think what he’s done is, I think he’s taken his game up another level in terms of every year, he’s a guy that’s shown the ability and has gotten better and more consistent in his football in terms of him going out there and performing,” said Matt LaFleur late last season. “So Kei is a guy that we’ve got a lot of confidence in, and he’s shown the versatility to play not on the inside, but to go out on the outside. And not everybody can do that.”

In addition to Nixon’s play, the Packers were also encouraged later in the season by the growth of Carrington Valentine. Admittedly, quarterbacks were efficient against Valentine but didn’t produce much against him. Over the final three games, Valentine allowed just 9.0 yards per catch on 11 receptions. He also had a late-season stretch of coming away with two interceptions in three games.

“I think CV is a young player, and the more he plays, it seems like the better he’s getting,” LaFleur said late in the season. “And I think he’s addressed some of the things that we wanted him to work on throughout, not only last year, but into this year, and he’s done a nice job, and certainly he’s made some plays for us … I expect him to get better.”

Now, all of this isn’t to say that the Packers are content and won’t add to this room. Taking that approach last offseason, where the only somewhat significant addition came in the seventh round of the draft, and the depth of this unit then being tested during the year should be a learning opportunity.

Collectively, last season, the Packers’ cornerbacks did well at eliminating explosive pass plays. However, there wasn’t much ball production from that group, with Green Bay ranking 31st in pass deflections. In addition to that, while Nixon and Valentine both limited yards, they gave up a high percentage of completions, with Nixon at 66% and Valentine at 82%.

Adding competition at cornerback, for both playing time and when it comes to the depth of this group and competing for roster spots, should certainly be on the draft to-do list. However, just because it’s something that has to be done, doesn’t mean there is concern internally about having to do it. Think of your own to-do lists–not everything is a level 10 urgency, even though it might command your attention. Perhaps the Packers view the cornerback position that way.

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