A good first day. OL and CB were on the shopping list: check and check.

Banking on Banks to elevate the OL by with his addition after subtraction of Myers. Some intriguing options exist for a reconfigured best 5. Walker, Banks, Jenks, Morgan, Tom seem the odds on most likely.

Another option: Walker, Jenks and Banks flanking Tom with Morgan at RT would plow the road for Jj, Wilson and Brooks and keep Love clean from the inside pressures of last season.

Regardless, it appears Rhyan will be the top back up at all 3 IOL spots. The IOL suddenly looks very solid.

Hobbs could be one of the best slots the Packers fielded for many years. But I expect Hafley will practice him on the boundary too. He has the skills to play outside if Bullard makes it a close competition at slot to keep 3 Safeties in the nickel.

Looks like DL and WR are going to be atop of the Packers draft board in the early rounds.

I’d say $77 mil for a guard was notable. Was it not early enough?

Cory almost seemed to be apologizing for the Packer free agent acquisitions ("didn't make any notable moves") and yet the Packers filled two crucial needs - IOL and CB. I guess Cory expected splashier signings (Metcalf, Mack??) but I liked what Gute did. Solid players at positions of need!

Cory doesn't want me to be disappointed? When the first day brought a premium improvement to the O-line how can I be? This isn't like getting Billy Turner. He was ok, but I didn't know who he was, and he really wasn't a game changer.

Gute's building up the depth at least on O and D. He's getting the roster in shape for the draft. Only thing left is to sign Aaron Rodgers to be Love's backup to be more surprised.

No disappointment here, Cory.

Over on Acme, LLCHESTY who comments here wrote "local radio show was talking to an ex GM and he said the Packers are very careful about paying for what they think a player can do rather than what they have done."

Simple, yet effective principle. Too many teams pay FA's for past glories, not specific, expected fit & synergistic upsides.

Both Banks and Hobbs are smack dab in their prime.

I have little complaints about the Packers in free agency. The head scratcher for me is that we did not keep Slaton. Yes pass rush was a weakness but he was great at stopping the run and we do not have a player his size to plug the middle. It appears the Packers could have kept him. Now we have to hope we can get a big DT in the draft. I believe that is the priority of the draft.

The Steelers got a deal with Metcalf. Yes they have to pay him but he might be worth it. I am not as concerned as about losing out on Metcalf as I am about Slayton.

My 2 cents worth…..Day 1 is done with our Packers active again. Maybe not the names we were expecting or hoping for. Normally, I’m positive, but I have to admit, I’m disappointed, not because it was a CB and Guard, which are important positions, but more because of other reasons.

Last year, Gutey who was also active in day one, took two players we all heard about and were in the top couple of their position, this year is a bit different. He was active in day one, but with names that were down the list a bit. Doesn’t mean he isn’t right though. When he brought in the 2- Smiths, Amos and the OL I forgot his name, most weren’t the top of the list either, but they all worked out and were good value.

Regarding Banks, I know numbers are higher this year due to salary cap increase, but 77M over 4 years seems very high for his past production. Other IOL FA signings so far, some rated by others at higher were closer to 10M per. I didn’t find him in any publications as a top few IOL free agents. Obviously, they feel very strongly he is the perfect fit for the scheme they want to run this year. Devils in the details though, meaning how much is guaranteed. My guess is around 30M. Too high IMO,

So folks want to get rid of Alexander, mainly because he doesn’t stay on the field. Well, here comes Dobb’s who played only a few more games them him over the past 3 years. I like his play, good size, he’s a dog according to some, but why take the risk with an injury history player….I don’t get it.

In Gutey we must trust!

Reading The Corner is much like listening to your elderly parent read the billboards on an interstate road trip, but then again it might not be that way at all so that's why we always brush our teeth before going to bed.

I like the Banks signing. He is a solid player who can probably play anywhere on the interior of the line. Wouldn't be shocked if he is the new center. I am not a fan of Nate Hobbs and don't think you can put him on a island expecting him to take out the top WR. He is an awful tackler and someone you will want to slide inside on passing downs. HE too has had a history of injuries so not sure that is an upgrade over Alexander. At least when healthy Alexander is a shutdown player. Hope Hobbs is still improving and can stay healthy but I don't think Gute is done either.

"He is a solid player who can probably play anywhere on the interior of the line. Wouldn't be shocked if he is the new center."

Why would you think that? He was tried at right Guard his rookie year and failed. SF quickly put him back at LG where he has stayed.

Two young players with a chance to grow. If Hobbs--who profiles a lot like Nixon--transitions well into Hafley's defense, they did well on $12M AAV and relatively low guarantee (which means he can be cut without too much pain after year two). People complain about slot CB being crowded, but when Bullard got hurt last year, they struggled with CB depth and covering the slot. There's a fair degree of roster flexibility granted by this signing.

That said, the Packers leaned into their S group as the season progressed last year...possibly due to a lack of depth at CB with JA on the shelf, but also because Evan Williams emerged as a good player. He struggled with injuries too, though, and I suspect he's going to have to dial his style of play back a notch to stay on the field. Hobbs is a returner, too, so more flexibility there.

I like the Banks signing. He's a proven commodity and more of a tree-stump roughneck than the Packers usually sign...and it could mean a transition to more power looks in the run game. In essence, they take Myers off the field and replace him with Banks. The OL got more physical, and I like that. It's very possible that the Packers might look to deal Walker--they're going to have to pay Tom, and signing four OL to big contracts will be hard on the cap--and let Morgan play his more natural OT position. Doing that means they still need to draft a couple OL.

At least for now, these moves take pressure off the draft on days 1 and 2 to find CB help--they could go that way if someone they covet falls into their laps. The OL is still only 6 deep with Myers leaving and the addition of Banks. It feels like it falls on Morgan to be the swing OT at this point, and they have Rhyan, Walker, and Tom coming up for contracts after this season. If I'm the Packers, I'm still looking for depth.

For the first day of FA I like what GB did. I like that they went and brought in 2 positions of need. They needed to improve the OL and they needed more help at CB.

First on OL. It was announced that they planned to move on from Myers. Which this means they are shifting Jenkins to OC. This allows Banks to come in and take the LG job and shouldn't hurt the OL at all. They have Morgan who should compete at RG or LT.

I really think Gutey saw what happened after Jenkins got hurt in the loss to Philly and said we need to improve our OL. Getting Banks in there and moving Jenkins to OC, allows some options if injuries happen. If one of the OG's got hurt an option would be to bring Monk in at OC and move Jenkins to OG. I don't think they trusted Monk at OG, and Myers couldn't move either. So having Jenkins at OC they could easily move him if needed.

Strengthening the trenches is one of the biggest things they needed to do this offseason.

The other move they made is a good one I believe. Hobbs can play inside and out. I am assuming Jaire will get traded or released, but who knows. Either way they needed to add more players to CB. Having the flexibility with Hobbs being able to play inside and out will allow them more versatility.

I like the first two signees. I hope they use Hobbs in the slot. Nixon is better at the perimeter.

Today they need to sign an Edge player. An ascending one is fine with me. Then a veteran WR with speed. And I am ok with keeping Alexander. Alexander. Hobbs and Nixon is good for me with Valentine and the safety as backup is good for me.

Then for draft pick up DL, WR and CB in that order for the first three rounds

It's like 2019, except they didn't get the Smiths, they just got Billy Turner and Adrian Amos. Not impressive, but there wasn't a lot out there. Both players will need to be better than they have been to make these signings worthwhile. But they look like good scheme fits, and Gutekunst has a good track record with free agents. I'm okay with it. The excitement will need to come in the draft at WR and DL.

"any notable moves in free agency?

1. Solidifying the offensive line, making Josh Jacobs and Jordan Love more effective isn't notable?
2) Finding a starting cornerback, isn't 'notable'?

Just because they didn't bring in some media hyped over-priced wide receiver doesn't mean the moves weren't 'notable'. There is an abundance of game-breaking wide receivers in the upcoming draft. Those players are cheaper and likely as effective given the Packers offense. Think back a few seasons when people we barely heard of, Watson, Reed, Doubs, Wicks all came on the scene. Most of them have done ok, correct?

We also don't know the players the Packers put an offer towards but wasn't accepted because the player went with another team.

Overall I’m disappointed. I really want just once to win the offseason. So so tired of finishing behind the bears. And this year the purple are crushing it. /s

To me it looks like the GM was solidifying two needs, trying to increase the effectiveness of the QB and RB which will presumably help the WR and TE be more effective. As importantly he is giving himself more flexibility to draft for needs, bpa and to trade up or down. All while not blowing up the cap for future years. I had some hopes for Murphy , Adebo, and The WR Slayton but you can’t always get what you want.

All that being said, I’m not sure the team is any closer to the Lombardi. Not sure the division flag is closer either.

Sounds like Banks is a baller. That's OL. Now raise the temperature of this FAgency and sign Hendrickson. You want to make a splash, Guter? Get busy and do it. Then we'll have something to get excited about! The rest of NFC North has been nailing it. Get some big nails, not thumb tacks!

I'm feeling like when I studied for a finals - but skipped a section because I didn't think it would be on the exam. Thus Banks and Hobbs. My bad - not the Packers. Also a nice bit of lateral thinking from Gutekunst and his colleagues - thinking in a manner of solving problems by using an approach that is not immediately obvious.

Signing a free agent OG and CB provides us with much more flexibility in the draft. These two new players open up new possibilities for our first 3 picks!

What free agency is there to fret or be upset about? They got a couple of mid-level players. You and everyone else needs to knock it off with the triple exclamation points after signings like this. They don't even merit one yet. I don't expect last year to happen every year.

"This team is arguably two or three pieces away from a deep playoff run." Maybe if they're three impact players, but even then, that would probably just get them into playoffs again.

Yeah, sure, draft and develop. Then you have to give them three to four years to find out they're not worth having, while other players get older or leave for more money. Packers need to make an impact impact in free agency or they're at a huge disadvantage with other teams. This wasn't it, but what else is new?

I liked Melifonwu.

We have Valentine and Nixon, who have been our de facto starting corners for the last two seasons. They've both played a lot of snaps on good defenses . We just added Hobbs, and for the money we paid him, he's clearly a starter, and that'll leave our top three as Hobbs, Nixon, Valentine. You'd have to think that King has the inside track for the #4 spot.

Can Hobbs-Valentine-Nixon stay healthy enough to keep two capable, experienced CBs on the field? I'd feel better if we had another guy. By my calculations, we could still afford to sign a guy in that $10-$15M range, if we really wanted to, especially after we cut ties with Alexander and get another $7M to work with.

Your comments about the vagaries of the rankings and the uncertainty in the draft are spot on. The only ranking board that really counts is at 1265 Lombardi, and I can try to make an educated guess, based on what the organization and Gutekunst have done in the past, but that's about it.

So far, the team has filled a need at starting CB to go with Nixon and Valentine.
They resigned McDuffie, so we return Cooper, Walker, McDuffie, and Hopper at LB.
They opened a hole by letting Slaton leave, and now that will have to be filled, probably with a draft choice.
They added a veteran offensive lineman to replace the one who left. Our starting five is improved from last year, and we're probably better at spots #6, #7, #8, too.

There is still a gaping hole at WR, where we have no legit #1 WR and we have to replace Watson's 555 snaps, 33 touches, and 660 yards. If you think THIS GUY is still on the board at #23, take him. If not, you'll probably need to go to Plan B, which would involve a second tier guy and a committee approach.

So...a little improvement on the offensive line. A big hole at WR. That adds up to a weaker offense than the one that scored 10 points last time. Again, replacing Watson with somebody AT LEAST AS GOOD is need just to pull even with last year's offense....which wasn't good enough. We need more.

Why is Simmons a better alternative to Wilson? I mean, Wilson was a core player for us on defense and special teams, played lots of snaps, made a ton of tackles, stayed available,and should be cheap.

C'mon Cory, "Green Bay is consistently solid is because the Packers don't reach"?
Oh really? They don't reach?
How about paying Top Dollar for a guard coming off his worst of four years, and with far poorer overall stats than Runyan who Gutey let walk last year?
And then, a CB cut from the 'Alexander Mold' who gets hurt every year and they paid him almost twice what was projected, and maybe even more!
They let Slaton, who never missed a game walk, haven't heard a single word about any possible replacements, and the list gets thinner by the moment, and at receiver too!
I guess Gutey has a thing for being the youngest team in the NFL, year, after year, after year! Let's wait 'till our QB is old, and then go 'All-in' with some more retreads, like we haven't seen and heard that before!

If they're gonna take Golden with the first pick, I'd still rather have Higgins.