Free Agents Packers Should Pursue After 2023 NFL Draft

The Green Bay Packers have not been the most active player on the free-agent market this offseason. With some cap restraints and the uncertainty of the Aaron Rodgers situation, the front office added just two external free agents.

Outside of trading the team's longtime franchise quarterback, it's been a quiet offseason.

That move is obviously a seismic shift for the franchise. They are going from a four-time MVP at the game's most important position to a relative unknown in Jordan Love.

Now that the dust has settled and the draft is over, it might be time to revisit the free-agent pool. Signings no longer count toward the compensatory pick formula, and the Packers still have a need for some depth at some key positions.

Fortunately, there are still some veterans available who fit the bill. Each of these three are worth considering based on the Packers' needs and their talent.

WR Jarvis Landry

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 25: Jarvis Landry (5) of the New Orleans Saints lines up and awaits the snap during a football game between the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints on Sep 25, 2022, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Packers have an incredibly young wide receiver room.

After the draft, it wouldn't be out of the question that their starting trio of receivers will be Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed. The first two will be entering their second year in the league, while Reed was a second-round pick.

Beyond those three, it's a collection of unproven young players like fellow 2023 draft selection Dontayvion Wicks and 2022 draftee Samori Toure.

It's a talented group with the potential to grow alongside Love, but they don't really have a veteran leader who can help develop them alongside the coaching staff. Jarvis Landry would be a great fit in that regard.

The nine-year vet isn't what he used to be as a receiver. He had just 25 receptions for 272 yards in nine games with the Saints last season. But he's a veteran with experience on three different teams, blocks well and does a lot of little things right.

Head coach Matt LaFleur noted the team is going to wait to see what their young receivers bring to the table before adding a veteran:

"We will see how it goes. It will be a very fluid situation just in terms of how much we throw at them. If need be, I know Gutey (general manager Brian Gutekunst) is going to do whatever he can to help field the best possible team, and if need be, we will turn that way (signing a veteran receiver), but right now, we are just going to let those guys compete," he said after a recent practice.

When it comes time to add a vet, Landry would make sense.

S John Johnson III

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CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 27: Cleveland Browns safety John Johnson III (43) at the line of scrimmage during the third quarter of the National Football League game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns on November 27, 2022, at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Before Joe Barry was charged with coordinating the Packers' defense, he was a defensive assistant with the Los Angeles Rams from 2017-2020. That also happens to be the same timespan that John Johnson III played for the Rams.

Safety was a sore spot for the Packers last season. Adrian Amos remains unsigned after giving up a passer rating of 107.7 when targeted. Darnell Savage remains on the roster but graded 87th out of the 88 safeties rated by PFF last season.

Rudy Ford should get the opportunity to slot into Amos' role. He started six games last season and was 17th in PFF's rankings.

However, Savage shouldn't just walk back into a starting role without competition.

Maybe that comes in the form of Tarvarius Moore. He's one of the two external free agents the Packers signed this offseason. But he only played 41 defensive snaps for the Niners last season.

Bringing in Johnson would give them another legitimate option to replace Savage—one who happens to have familiarity with Barry's coaching and system.

DT Matthew Ioannidis

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CHARLOTTE, NC - AUGUST 26: Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Matt Ioannidis (99) during a NFL preseason football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Carolina Panthers on August 26, 2022 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Defensive tackles who can consistently win pass-rush reps don't grow on trees. Finding a run-plugging defensive tackle is generally easier than finding one that can actually help with getting after the quarterback.

That's why it's surprising to see that Matthew Ioannidis is even still on the market.

The 29-year-old had the fifth-highest pass-rush win rate of all defensive tackles in 2022, per ESPN. That only resulted in one sack, but having that kind of interior pass-rusher can make life easier for your edge-rushers, because opposing quarterbacks can't step into the pocket.

With Lukas Van Ness joining Preston Smith and Rashan Gary, the Packers have the edge-rushers to be a great pass-rushing team.

However, they lost some interior pass-rushing juice with the departure of Jarran Reed. Dan Lowry wasn't a great pass-rusher, but they lost him in free agency, hurting their depth there.

Kenny Clark is a great foundation on the interior, and Devonte Wyatt should make strides in his second season. Ioannidis would give them a veteran who could come in on passing downs and allow them to utilize a rotation in the middle of the defense.