Official 2026 Free Agency/Offseason/Non-Draft Thread

[bobblehead]

I was responding to the chart in Joemailman's post immediately before mine.

Ah....something in my browser blocks some of Joe's stuff. I have to swap to chrome to see it.

[bobblehead]

I do not think the GM has much of a say in what position guys play in. That would all be on the coaches, mainly Butkiss and Stenaditch.

I think he has a heavy hand in that vision.

[pbmax]

I think Average Annual Value is a better way to look at it. The guys that make the most, in general are also the better players. So that chart shows the value cost lost of player games missed. Note Cleveland is skewed high due to the riduculous contract they gave Desaun Watson.

I like the chart because games missed due to injury alone means little if the guys getting hurt are depth guys.

That could be a more useful metric, but not one the chart is showing.

[Sparkey]

That could be a more useful metric, but not one the chart is showing.

Your right, I was looking at that chart wrong.

[pbmax]

Two things I saw:

1. Acme Packers had an article laying out how Nate Hobbs contract and his option bonus make him a trade candidate after the bonus. He's dirt cheap even if other teams see him as a slot corner only. His slot corner numbers this year were good, on par with Bullard. I don't know how likely this is given the room, but its a chance to recover some picks. There is a dead money hit the first year but it can more than be made up for in cap savings in 2027 and 28 when the team is prohibitively expensive.

2. Cheesehead TV made the case that the Packers cap might force their hand to run back the same CB room, including likely draft picks. Nixon is dirt cheap for a starter, Hobbs is a cash spend option bonus away from being cheap NEXT year (27) and Valentine isn't forcing any hard decisions with his deal. The likeliest path they see is a youth movement to redo the room's depth.

[Sparkey]

Your right, I was looking at that chart wrong.

https://www.sportsinfosolutions.com/2025/12/03/which-nfl-teams-have-been-most-and-least-affected-by-injuries-in-2025/

This one weights injury based on value.

[ThunderDan]

https://www.sportsinfosolutions.com/...uries-in-2025/

This one weights injury based on value.

4 of the 5 teams least affected by injuries in that article, were the 4 teams in the Championship games.

[pbmax]

4 of the 5 teams least affected by injuries in that article, were the 4 teams in the Championship games.

Not sure if the total number of games lost would put them near the top but the 1996 Packers Offense lost a lot of starters games with Brooks and Freeman and Hot Tub injuries. Was a remarkable run that the Defense keyed at times.

Was Newsome that year or next?

Never forget Super Bowl MVP Andre Rison : D

[Joemailman]

Summary of Gute's press conference:


CheeseheadTV
@cheeseheadtv

- Disappointed and clearly upset about last year.

- Championships are the goal and wants 2026’s focus to be on “finishing games” to help that.

- Injuries aren’t an excuse for him. Thinks they had what they needed to still get it done even after injuries.

- Has a lot of faith in Rich + Special teams (Believes there’s been a lot of investment and return there) went on to add, he thinks they’ve been better on Special teams than they have been in a long time.

Raved about Rich and his staff and the culture he brings.

- Feels like they have a lot of flexibility in free agency.

- Took "a risk" with Hobbs and Banks and it “didn’t work out”, but thinks they can swing again this year.

- Expects everyone under contract to be back. Including Hobbs, Banks, and Gary… but always evaluating the roster. Said all three of them have things to work on.

- Wants OL to be versatile more than anything. “Doesn’t really care” if guys think they’re better at certain spots.

- They need to “move around” and “perform at a high level.”

- Already let Tucker Kraft and his camp know they want him here long term.

- Excited about Golden in year 2.

- Says Jordan Love played “Some of his best football down the stretch” and called him an “unbelievable leader for our team”.

- Feels Josh Jacobs has “a lot of good years left” and is very important to the team.

- Wants Malik Willis back but knows he’ll likely go get a starting job somewhere.

- Has no problem with adding vets.

- Doesn’t expect Zach Tom’s late 25 season injury to impact next season.

- Felt like international travel for games is/was “Awful”, but wants to shift the team mindset to “accepting it” and “becoming really good at it.”

- Doesn’t feel like they need wholesale changes but wants depth at corner.

- Will have a kicking competition but not because he thinks McManus needs to go. Kept talking about him making 32 kicks in a row before the CHI game.

[Fritz]

Summary of Gute's press conference:


CheeseheadTV
@cheeseheadtv

- Disappointed and clearly upset about last year.

- Championships are the goal and wants 2026’s focus to be on “finishing games” to help that.

- Injuries aren’t an excuse for him. Thinks they had what they needed to still get it done even after injuries.

- Has a lot of faith in Rich + Special teams (Believes there’s been a lot of investment and return there) went on to add, he thinks they’ve been better on Special teams than they have been in a long time.

Raved about Rich and his staff and the culture he brings.

- Feels like they have a lot of flexibility in free agency.

- Took "a risk" with Hobbs and Banks and it “didn’t work out”, but thinks they can swing again this year.

- Expects everyone under contract to be back. Including Hobbs, Banks, and Gary… but always evaluating the roster. Said all three of them have things to work on.

- Wants OL to be versatile more than anything. “Doesn’t really care” if guys think they’re better at certain spots.

- They need to “move around” and “perform at a high level.”

- Already let Tucker Kraft and his camp know they want him here long term.

- Excited about Golden in year 2.

- Says Jordan Love played “Some of his best football down the stretch” and called him an “unbelievable leader for our team”.

- Feels Josh Jacobs has “a lot of good years left” and is very important to the team.

- Wants Malik Willis back but knows he’ll likely go get a starting job somewhere.

- Has no problem with adding vets.

- Doesn’t expect Zach Tom’s late 25 season injury to impact next season.

- Felt like international travel for games is/was “Awful”, but wants to shift the team mindset to “accepting it” and “becoming really good at it.”

- Doesn’t feel like they need wholesale changes but wants depth at corner.

- Will have a kicking competition but not because he thinks McManus needs to go. Kept talking about him making 32 kicks in a row before the CHI game.

So . . . bring back the head coach, bring back most of the team, expect the result to be different.

[Joemailman]

So . . . bring back the head coach, bring back most of the team, expect the result to be different.

They have to be able to finish games. With the exception of the loss to Baltimore, they had a real chance at every game in the 4th quarter. Don't get too despondent by Gute's PC. He's not going to call out players and coaches in a PC.


Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

Be careful at taking everything at face value today. Lying is part of the GM job description. You gain no value as a GM by calling out any player or making it clear you want to go in another direction. Actions will speak the loudest. Let’s see what the offseason brings.

[texaspackerbacker]

I hope Andy Herman is right. A lot of crap from Gutekunst, especially his take on the Corner thing.

[Bretsky]

So . . . bring back the head coach, bring back most of the team, expect the result to be different.

THIS

Shitbag is just a horrible interview. He spent forty minutes saying absolutely nothing.

We have NO cap space at all. The one thing that hinted out was when a reporter called out our situation and asked if we are going to have any room/money to be active in free agency. And he said we're going to have plenty of money to be active.

ONLY way that happens, is cutting, or restructuring, Hobbs, Jenkins, and Gary

Regarding ST, if you believe him being the bottoms 5 in the NFL is just fine.

[pbmax]

Admitted that Jordan Morgan “did enough to win” the left tackle job in training camp, but then injuries forced them to go a different route.

~ alert to Bobble.

[pbmax]

He did say they are talking to Kraft about an extension. Kraft's injury might get him a shorter lucrative deal to let him have another shot at FA when healthy.