The Packers can spend in free agency this spring. Not a lot, but they can, though it’ll take some work to get there.
But what they should spend on is a tricky question. They can’t spend as freely as they might
like; don’t expect an extravaganza as we saw in 2019, for instance. The Packers will need to be judicious with their dollars.
So where can they get the most bang for their buck? For my money, no pun intended, the Packers’ best value spend would be at nose tackle, though we need to manage expectations.
There are no elite nose tackles in free agency. There’s very little elite anything in free agency, for that matter; Leigh Steinberg’s old quote about “A+ contracts for B+ players” largely rings true. But the Packers have a better shot at finding competence in free agency than they do in the draft, where they’d likely have to spend a high draft pick to get someone worth having on the defensive line. The actually valuable big boys always go early, and the Packers, of course, do not have a first round pick.
The Packers can probably manufacture a center if they need one, either by bringing back Sean Rhyan or fudging their traditional draft rules a bit to nab a day three prospect who’s a little undersized or a little under-athletic. But if the Packers want to shore up their biggest defensive weakness, they should go for the closest thing to a sure bet that they can find, and that’s buying whatever defensive lineman most represents a “proven performer” in free agency.
Packers’ Recent History in Free Agency Paints Somewhat Surprising Picture | Sports Illustrated
The Packers are willing to spend in free agency and have some flexibility this spring. What does that mean given their recent history?
2026 NFL free agency: Best players available on offense | ESPN
The Malik Willis hype train is gaining steam.
7 linebacker prospects for Packers fans to watch at NFL Scouting Combine | Packers Wire
The Packers could probably use another linebacker no matter what happens with Quay Walker.
Packers fan Stephen O’Brien named Packers’ International Fan of the Year | Packers.com
If you’ve not listened to Mr. O’Brien’s lovely Irish lilt on the UK Packers Podcast, remedy that forthwith. It’s a great show and this is the perfect pick for the Packers’ International Fan of the Year.
How often do NFL teams get coaching hires right? What 23 years of data tells us | The Athletic ($)
The head coach question is the second-most important question an NFL team can answer, along with who the quarterback is going to be.
If you don’t know what a kakapo is, get ready to learn.
