Packers Offseason/Free Agency/ Non-Draft Thread

[run pMc]

Signing Banks feels like an overpay, but he's young and overall would appear to raise the overall floor of the OL. Probably means they are going to extend Tom but not Walker, and I wonder if Morgan continues to learn G and also swing tackle.
Lessens the urgency to draft OL, but I think they still will - there's some decent OL talent in the draft outside Day 1. Banks is a good signing if they have Jenkins at C and Rhyan at RG; that's a big strong interior for Jacobs to run behind, and should also be solid in pass pro.

A little surprised they went this route but GB has done some surprising things in FA and along the OL before, usually with good results so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

[Joemailman]

I think the Banks signing, and moving Jenkins to Center makes the Packers OL more stout in the running game at 2 positions. Packers started transitioning to more of a gap system last year, but Myers was ill-suited for it.

[Bretsky]

Signing Banks feels like an overpay, but he's young and overall would appear to raise the overall floor of the OL. Probably means they are going to extend Tom but not Walker, and I wonder if Morgan continues to learn G and also swing tackle.
Lessens the urgency to draft OL, but I think they still will - there's some decent OL talent in the draft outside Day 1. Banks is a good signing if they have Jenkins at C and Rhyan at RG; that's a big strong interior for Jacobs to run behind, and should also be solid in pass pro.

A little surprised they went this route but GB has done some surprising things in FA and along the OL before, usually with good results so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Both moves seems like overpays. Wonder if Morgan is not as highly thought of by the coaches as Gutebag. I too don't think they want to give Wallace a huge contract. I think PFF had him rates 32 out of likee 65 OG's last season. They are not the end off but it gives us an idea of what we are getting. Thinking they figure Myers will get 12MILish per year and didn't want him at that price. So paying this guy more hopefully improves our line and hopefully we don't have any athletic reach with our 1st round draft picks last year like so many others

[Fritz]

I kinda like the Banks signing. It makes sense to me - Jenkins to center, let Rhyan and Morgan duke it out for the RG spot, train Morgan also as a RT. Extend Tom. And then draft a couple tackles in April, maybe in the mid-to-later rounds, as you're looking for Rasheed Walker's eventual replacement.

The Hobbs signing was more of a head-scratcher to me, but clearly Green Bay has a plan for how that position will shake out. I do think the moves, both of them, impact the draft strategy. You don't need to take a corner in round one now; you could conceivably wait until even the third round to draft a guy to develop over the next year or two. And you can take a swing or two in the mid rounds at drafting Rasheed Wallace's replacement. So the draft can focus on - I think - defensive tackle, defensive end, and wide receiver.

[Patler]

Banks will add a little bit of edginess and exuberance to the OL, which I have thought they lacked at times. A bit of feistiness. Said to have an energetic personality and to be a player who is always looking for someone to hit. Said to be massive and broad, virtually immovable by power rushers.

[Deputy Nutz]

Why wouldn't they train Morgan as the replacement for Walker? Tom isn't going to move to Left Tackle. Rhyan isn't a terrible player in fact he is pretty good in the run game, not sure why they need to replace him with Morgan. I think Morgan's value now that the Packers signed Banks is at Left Tackle. If they thought Morgan was ready to start at guard they would have never signed Banks. Maybe the problem with Morgan is that the Packers shouldn't have drafted him in the first place and he isn't the player they thought he was going to be, which is crazy because he was injured most of 2024 and he was a rookie.

[call_me_ishmael]

Why wouldn't they train Morgan as the replacement for Walker? Tom isn't going to move to Left Tackle. Rhyan isn't a terrible player in fact he is pretty good in the run game, not sure why they need to replace him with Morgan. I think Morgan's value now that the Packers signed Banks is at Left Tackle. If they thought Morgan was ready to start at guard they would have never signed Banks. Maybe the problem with Morgan is that the Packers shouldn't have drafted him in the first place and he isn't the player they thought he was going to be, which is crazy because he was injured most of 2024 and he was a rookie.

Agree with all of this. We will know a lot about how they feel about Morgan based on if they resign Walker this summer or certainly by October.

[Joemailman]

I think Morgan will be given the opportunity to compete for the LT job. Whether he wins the job this year or not, I think they see him as the future there and Walker will be gone after this year.

[call_me_ishmael]

I think Morgan will be given the opportunity to compete for the LT job. Whether he wins the job this year or not, I think they see him as the future there and Walker will be gone after this year.

Only if he wins the job or looks the part though (I know this is obvious, but I don't think this is a foregone conclusion yet). I think some steps need to be taken to ensure that.

[run pMc]

Yeah, I have to think they will give Morgan another shot at tackle. I don't think they want to sign Walker unless they have no option; having 4 OL on 2nd (expensive) contracts with Banks, Jenkins, Tom and Walker would be a lot of cap space allocated to OL.

Hobbs is getting paid outside corner money, that's where they are going to play him. He's an upgrade over Stokes, but that's a lot of money they're paying him. CB still looks like a need, but it's not a gaping hole anymore...they can rotate 3 guys at the 2 spots (assuming Jaire will be gone).

[Fritz]

I think Nutzy is correct - I'm still a bit mystified by the pick myself, especially especially if they end up making him a guard. I think of a first-round offensive lineman as being a tackle, preferably left tackle.

I'm still hoping they take an offensive tackle in the middle rounds somewhere. Need to have a pipeline for that offensive line.

[Patler]

Clearly Morgan will get opportunities at tackle, that's what he was drafted for, OT potential.

Don't remember if it was Gute or LeFleur who flat out admitted this off season that they made a mistake by not giving Morgan more opportunities at tackle last year, but justified it by saying the need at guard was more significant. Players and practice observers commented about Morgan's noticeable athleticism in drills. I am not concerned at all about Morgan...yet.

It is never wrong to draft a high potential, versatile OL; 22% of your starters are OL. It was clear from the playoff game last year that GB needs OL depth. Guys who can perform competently at 2, 3 or 4 of the positions are invaluable on game days.

[Fosco33]

Sounds like pack might cut jaire today? Why not keep him and make him play (and then trade him)?

If everyone knows you don’t want something - why would they give you more than a 7th for him?

Post 6/1 cut designation doesn’t save a whole lot of cap.

And ffs we know he’ll just sign w/ the queens…

[MadScientist]

Sounds like pack might cut jaire today? Why not keep him and make him play (and then trade him)?

If everyone knows you don’t want something - why would they give you more than a 7th for him?

Post 6/1 cut designation doesn’t save a whole lot of cap.

And ffs we know he’ll just sign w/ the queens…

Pre 6/1 and there is $18M in dead cap this year. Post 6/1 there is ~$8M this year and $10M next year. That's significant enough.

[run pMc]

Keeping him until late in FA or even after the draft could boost interest. With what's left out there at CB, he'd get a lot of interest if they cut him now.
The draft doesn't fall in favor of some team's board and they need a good CB, they might make a trade.

If they don't dick him around there's not much downside for GB to keep Jaire in the short-term. His value probably fluctuates by the day, they will sell when it's high.