Official 2026 Free Agency/Offseason/Non-Draft Thread

[Joemailman]

Now we know why Gary had to take down his IG post.

Jordan Schultz
@Schultz_Report

TRADE: #Packers are close to finalizing a trade that would send Rashan Gary to the #Cowboys, per source.

Edit:

Ian Rapoport
@RapSheet

Specifically: It’s a 2027 4th rounder for Gary.

[sharpe1027]

By restructuring Banks, we are guaranteeing he is on the roster in 2027 even he plays similar to beginning of year 2025.

Due to kicking the can down the road on Banks it will now cost $26.29 million against the cap to get rid of him after 2026 if he stinks.

They must believe he's going to keep improving. He looked better in the second half of last year, but still isn't saying he looked good.

[ThunderDan]

By restructuring Banks, we are guaranteeing he is on the roster in 2027 even he plays similar to beginning of year 2025.

Due to kicking the can down the road on Banks it will now cost $26.29 million against the cap to get rid of him after 2026 if he stinks.

[pbmax]

HOLY SHIT GUTEBAG

Lotta Ching for Sean Ryan

Probably a better signing than Banks thought for what we overpaid him

If its like the other 3 year deals they have signed under Gute, its a one year deal with what are essentially bail out options for years 2 and 3. The only worry is upfront money. Guess is big bonus and small first year salary but the size of the bonus will tell us how much dead money he could carry. I kinda sincerely doubt Rhyan gets a huge bonus but it is almost silly season.

[pbmax]

Good for Biadasz getting that much from them. I wouldn't have wanted the Packers to pay that much.

Hopefully Zaire Franklin is a step up from Quay Walker. I generally like the trade.

He is not a step up from Quay. He is a run stopper only. He's there to provide stoutness in what increasingly looks like a 3-4 the Packers will be running with Gannon. He will be the Mike while Cooper is likely the Jack, at least as Capers used to call them, the ILBs.

[texaspackerbacker]

I see the Packers are restructuring Aaron Banks' contract, saving over $12 million on the salary cap. Some people get all panicky about the cap and/or whine about intelligent comments regarding the way it's possible to handle the cap. It's NOT that the cap is irrelevant. It's that it can almost always be dealt with fairly easily without serious consequences. The Packers have had their share of "bad contracts". Yet they continue to win and win and win. The great stupidity is not pushing the cap. It is tearing down to rebuild - which the Packers have resisted for decades and hopefully will continue to resist - unlike a lot of stupidly run loser teams.

The Banks thing is an example of that. It also is a bit of a gamble, though - doubling down on what many including me see as a blunder of a deal. I HOPE - against what was observable last season - that Guekunst knew what he was doing/that Banks' mediocre at best season was a fluke mainly due to injuries, and that he can still play approximately up to what was expected when he got paid so much. We'll see how that goes this year.

[sharpe1027]

Good thing the cap is irrelevant and the Packers don't have to worry about bad contracts.

[Bretsky]

The Packers have reached an agreement on a three-year contract extension with offensive lineman Sean Rhyan, according to NFL Media. The new deal is valued at $33 million and could rise to as much as $39 million with incentives.

This looks similar to the deal FA Tyler Biadasz signed recently. Expect to hear of release of Jenkins any time now.

HOLY SHIT GUTEBAG

Lotta Ching for Sean Ryan

Probably a better signing than Banks thought for what we overpaid him

[Joemailman]

My guess is this is really a 2 year deal for 15-20 million, with another extension if he does well.

[texaspackerbacker]

Rhyan did good, but that seems like a bit much. We'll see I guess.

[Joemailman]

The Packers have reached an agreement on a three-year contract extension with offensive lineman Sean Rhyan, according to NFL Media. The new deal is valued at $33 million and could rise to as much as $39 million with incentives.

This looks similar to the deal FA Tyler Biadasz signed recently. Expect to hear of release of Jenkins any time now.

[sharpe1027]

Franklin was 2nd team All-Pro in 2024 when he led the NFL in tackles. His strong point in stopping the run. His weakness is M2M pass coverage. Last year the Colts had one of the NFL's top run defenses. Last year he played 95% of defensive snaps, which means the Colts left him on the field in likely passing situations. I think Gannon will use him differently. Gannon likes to use a lot of dime in likely pass situations. No doubt DT is now one of the biggest areas of need on the Packers.

In 2024, the Colts defense couldn't get off the field. Lots of opportunities to rack up tackle numbers.

[Patler]

Franklin was 2nd team All-Pro in 2024 when he led the NFL in tackles. His strong point in stopping the run. His weakness is M2M pass coverage. Last year the Colts had one of the NFL's top run defenses. Last year he played 95% of defensive snaps, which means the Colts left him on the field in likely passing situations. I think Gannon will use him differently. Gannon likes to use a lot of dime in likely pass situations. No doubt DT is now one of the biggest areas of need on the Packers.

All true, but Franklin's statistical performance (not the be-all, end-all evaluation, for sure) dropped significantly from the previous three years. Not a good sign from a soon-to-be 30 year old player.

[Patler]

They traded a young, seemingly improving player for an old player whose stats dropped significantly in 2025 from the previous three years. New player destined to replace another young player who has improved each year. Hard to feel good about that trade. Reverse of what I have come to expect from the Packers.

Now throw in the fact of no first round draft pick, and it is difficult to see a path for improving from last year.

[Joemailman]

Franklin was 2nd team All-Pro in 2024 when he led the NFL in tackles. His strong point in stopping the run. His weakness is M2M pass coverage. Last year the Colts had one of the NFL's top run defenses. Last year he played 95% of defensive snaps, which means the Colts left him on the field in likely passing situations. I think Gannon will use him differently. Gannon likes to use a lot of dime in likely pass situations. No doubt DT is now one of the biggest areas of need on the Packers.