Make sure we get the FAs that we have and want from our team first. Then sign PS youngsters or guys like Rasul and Campbell trying to resurrect their careers that will come on prove it deals and be strong special teamers too.

No high dollar FAs that have played their best ball in contract years and could be bad examples to our existing youngsters.

It doesn't hurt so much to swing and miss on roll players that can help your depth. Those are the only ones that can surprise you. The high dollar ones have to hit it out of the park immediately and stay healthy just to meet expectations.

"He’ll be shopping for a safety, a running back, a linebacker, perhaps a corner, and always linemen on both sides of the ball. There are plenty of shiny names out there to price out."

I think Gute will try and sign a Safety in FA for sure, maybe even an O-Linemen or ILB too. Matter of fact I think he HAS to sign a Safety with just Johnson and Sapp under contract IIRC. I would LOVE Winfield but I would rather sign a couple of FA's opposed to taking that one big swing.

The money being handed out is crazy. Personally, I think $50 Million Jordan Love is absolutely nuts and I'm hoping Gute doesn't sign him to something like that. Maybe I'm in a very small minority but I'd like to see Love do it for more than 9 games before handing him the bag of cash.

And we say the draft is a crap shoot.

I do wonder what Hafley thinks about Savage after watching all the video evidence? Then what does he say in meetings with MLF and Gutey on his analysis?

Savage's best year was his rookie season when he lived up to his first round billing. Thereafter it was up and down...mostly down, especially playing Barry Ball. He is still only 26 with top athletic skills. I wish tackling was one of his core skills. Hafley seems to be a task master when it comes to that particular skill. Can he reclaim the Savage with all that rookie promise?

Many fans seem eager to let him go. I am not eager to see him stay but would not be surprised if he does. Does Hafley want him? And does Gutey want to pay him if his DC and HC want him back?

I would expect the Packers to do there usual: wait for the craziness of the first few days/weeks of free agency to let teams with huge cap space sign the "next piece needed" type guys for a gazzilllion bucks, then see what lower tier guys are available and sign them to non-cap-breaking contracts. I never even "dream" about the top tier dudes coming to GB.

We’re grappling with the uncertainty of Darnell Savage's fit within a possible new defensive scheme. The dynamics between Coach Hafley, MLF, and Gutey likely involve a detailed analysis of Savage's strengths, weaknesses, and his fit within the team's long-term plans. Given Savage's athletic prowess and Hafley's emphasis on tackling, there's potential for improvement and reclaiming his rookie promise. However, decisions regarding Savage's future with the team will depend on whether they think he is more of a liability than an important piece of a new defensive scheme going forward.

"Jimmy Graham, Muhammad Wilkerson, Sammy Watkins, Whitney Mercilus, Tavon Austin, Tyler Ervin, Devin Funchess, Christian Kirksey. The list is long. Painful to read, isn't it?"

In what universe is that list painful to read? Those were all low level signings, you might even say bottom of the barrel, with the exception of Jimmy Graham, who was maybe mid-level.

The Packers have fared pretty well in free agency in recent years, although they haven't taken many risks. I think it's quite possible that they can sign one or two really good role players this year, and maybe even a difference maker.

I've gone full Ted Thompson due largely to the absolutely absurd contracts being tossed around.

Russell Wilson is a great example. Hero in Seattle he signed a contract even more outrageous than Aaron Rodgers and now Denver has little choice but to cut him and take a $39 million cap hit. The Packers have little choice but to cut David B. and take a huge cap hit. While there have been some good finds for the Packers in free agency there have been many contracts that didn't work out. A player wants generational money for the final contracts but it is not good for the team when age starts to cut ability.

As the old fitness campaign once resonated, "Stop The Insanity".

The Packers offense this year is great example of what happens when a group of young, enthusiastic players get coached up and want to win. Adding old, cynical veterans to that mix(at a high price) would have been a negative.
Stay young and more cost effective. The major colleges now are producing NFL ready players by the droves. Why throw good money to older players who simply want a new condo in the Bahamas?

I’m fine with a FA move at a position where we feel we need a player who has experience and, while not an all star, is competent as a starter. Amos was a good example of such a pick up. For me the obvious positions would be at safety, particularly FS because rookies often struggle there. Possibly also at ILB and Slot.

However, only if that is backed up by adding options behind to compete and hopefully surpass in future. Buying competence now to try to find time to develop excellence in future is a sound strategy. Bandaging temporarily is not unless in a last dance scenario. We are not.

Being in an upward curve, the ideal is to have players who can join that and be better in future too. Those kind of FAs are hard to find. Miscast, not good fits for their prior team or simply not given opportunities. There’s a gamble in believing that, but the cost ought to be lower as a result. If that’s what Gute means, then that’s no bad thing. It’s better than just treading water by bringing back players who have not worked out over an extended period.

Big signings to me seem at least a year premature. The objective here is surely to try to add talent and flexibility through development for 2025 and beyond. Injuries and emergence happen over a season. Keep powder dry till we really know what to aim at.

As an adjunct, if the rumors on kick off rule changes are accurate and come to fruition, then Nixon’s value just got multiplied significantly. To a point where I doubt he’s an option at slot. It also means we will have to seriously look for a KR replacement and roster that player, adding to the complexity of needs. That could be a route in for a draft pick we might not otherwise have considered regardless of position on O or D.

Not for sissies? Thanks for the warning. I’ll steer clear.

All for the Glory of Gute.
No Thanks.
The packers can't go a full year now,
without renegotiating someone.
And if we made the playoffs with what we had.
Why Live like the Rich and Famous.
I like our chances. The draft is the Future.
Heck I'd even trade Love for a boat load of picks.
Why pay outrageous money when Bahk
showed you what can happen.

There are always some in the crowd who don't think it through by saying lets just not worry about the consequences and go gung-ho full speed ahead, spend the most money and buy the best option. Not caring about the impact that has on the financial future of a team. Let's just throw caution to the wind and be in cap hell again in 2 short years, when all these young guys will be needing new contracts.

Or the posters that think by trading your future high picks so we can pick the flavor of the week player and mortgage the future for him. Both approaches are flawed because not only might the player get hurt or be a bust, but the potential animosity it would create on the team could be destructive. Management will give that guy the farm, but me they want to play for pennies.

We are a young and getting younger team with great potential. How about we take a deep breath, identify what players will fill our needs and upgrade the positions. Figure out what we can afford to pay them, and aggressively go after them when FA opens up. I would just as soon sign 3 good players for lesser dollars, that can upgrade and improve our team in multiple areas, than shoot the wad on one player at the top of the list, and hope he comes thru for us.

With the proposed kick off rule changes, FAs with return ability have added value. (More K/O returns may be on the way but ironically with increased safety to prevent concussions and violent collisions.)

Nixon, of course, comes to mind. The cost to keep him in Green Bay at an affordable price may go up. As a slot he's serviceable...as a returner he's a stud.

Also adds value to draft prospects with return ability. DeJean, for example. Tremendous returner.

FA is definitely not for sissies so I believe Gutie when he says he will shape the roster with all phases. I believe that they will draft according to what they do in FA. One area is the LB situation which is not a draft hotbed. I would love to see the Pack sign Cashman from the Texans to a reasonable contract and solidify that room. I also think they will sign a S since that is a weak draft class. So I would look for them to spend more to acquire a proven safety in McKinney from the Giants. They have filled some holes on the roster before the draft.

Select DeJean in one if he is available, Wright with 1st pick in 2, Mahogany with second pick in 2. Maybe another CB in 3 to allow DeJean to play various roles. Then BPA with second pick in 3 prefferably a DL or edge guy. Then fill out the rest of the roster with the remaining picks. This is my dream scenario going into the 2024 season.

I'm on team' let's wait for more of a sample size before we pay Love $50 M.'

Every year the QB price is going to go up. Love's third contract might be $75 million a year. Better to lock him up now. What do you suppose the bust % is of the top 6 draft QBs this year? 50%? Or the % of how many become stars. Do we really want to chance losing Love and starting over? Does anyone think our backup QB is a QB1?

You would think Caleb Williams will be great for sure, but we are talking the Bears. They could screw up Peyton Manning.

I don't think there is any need for any desperation reaches in FA.

Our gameday offense is in place. We're anticipating improving the Oline and replacing Dillon in the draft. The receiving corps looks to be impressive.

Our gameday defense is mostly set. The DL looks strong. The linebacking with Walker and Campbell and McDuffie looks solid.

We have 3 CBs under contract who are at least decent......Alexander, Stokes, Valentine. Each of them should be more impactful than last year, when they were either a rookie or on the bench injured. And of course, we got rid of the problem, Joe Barry, so we should have a big improvement in our Cornerbacks this year over last ear. Anything less is certainly an indictment of somebody for something.(yeah, kind of being sarcastic there.)

I don't agree with just blowing up the secondary, and I'm wondering if we'll resign some guys. Ford played well last year. Nixon played very well on defense down the stretch. I've been rewatching some of our games from last year, towards the end of the season, and they are certainly two guys who could be on the gameday roster.

Also, rewatching the Dallas playoff game, you can't help but notice that Savage is in on quite a few plays. I think he's going to get a bigger offer in FA than the Packers are going to want to match, but maybe not. Same with Nixon. Maybe the Packers are letting these guys test the FA waters to determine their value and we'll resign some of them. That has happened before.

We can draft a safety, a good one, but starting two rookies at safety is just asking to have them run into each other. So if want to add a quality FA, that'd be the spot.

Budda Baker, technically, is not a FA, but he is in the last year of his contract, and essentially it's $14M in salary this year. That's what we'd have to assume to TRADE for him. AZ gets rid of a high dollar guy who isn't part of their future AND a pretty good draft pick. That's a win for them. Green Bay gets him for something like pick #58. We rework his contract and he's part of the defense for the next four years.

If you put him on the back end along with somebody like Nubin and you could make that work

Jimmy Graham, Muhammad Wilkerson, Sammy Watkins, Whitney Mercilus, Tavon Austin, Tyler Ervin, Devin Funchess, Christian Kirksey. The list is long. Painful to read, isn’t it?

Jimmy Graham is particularly painful to read on that list. I'm probably in the camp of many who think the exit of Jordy Nelson was not handled well by Green Bay. Jordy would have likely accepted a team friendly deal and stayed in Green Bay and continued to play very well for the Packers but he was snubbed. The result was giving Jimmy Graham premium TE money for very little on-field production. Jimmy Graham came to town and robbed the bank and bought a helicopter for his collection.

Want another painful name from past free agency that escaped everyone else's notice? Marty Bennett. The locker room cancer that was Marty Bennett collected some pay checks in Green bay as well. Boy, the Packers were desperate there.

Geez folks live a little—even it it’s in your imagination; this ain’t your cash.
I’m always amazed at the people who want to hide their (other people’s) money under a rock —time is short—live a little.
The cap worriers, sitting in their basement, using a D-cell flashlight to illuminate and calculate their cap sheets. Eating from a tuna can and listening to a radio that reports only bad weather.
I remember the euphoria when we signed Reggie White. Excitement is fun.
We don’t have to buy the Porter House, but we can order the Ribeye. For heaven’s sake, forget the chicken salad and order a steak.
Go Packers!!!

People om this site commenting Love should have to sign a contract that has numerous incentive goals ???? Do you folks live in la la land.

Jordan bet on himself and won.

3 options are avaliable ;

1. He will get paid near or above 50 million a yr
2. Trade him and start over . That should go well with everyone
3. Do nothing make him play on his 1 yr contract this yr . That should also go extremely well.

Wake up for those who think this is fantady football

The author's comparison of Jordan Love to Daniel Jones is laughable. Their stats weren't even in the same zip code much less the same neighbor hood. The only comparison between the two were the win / loss record and winning a playoff game. Jordan has earned his payday and the cost of a franchise quarterback is only going up. If they could lock him into a 5 year deal I would do so without thinking twice about it.

His contract expires in several months-there is good faith on both sides. He's not going anywhere.

One thing that holds for all teams, while there are going to be some top free agents hitting the market, some already out there, they wont come cheap. Any team with a cap problem probably just looks on with a wish and a prayer, but other teams with big cap space and do a lot to improve themselves immedialtly, especially on the defensive side, with a top free agent or two.
I dont see the Pack being players at all.