5 Free Agents Who Won't Be Signing with the Green Bay Packers

There are some big-name free agents at every position heading into the offseason that could be intriguing considerations for the Green Bay Packers. 

The tight end group, especially, is stocked with talent that could step in and become go-to pass-catchers in Green Bay's offense, including Julius Thomas, Jordan Cameron, Owen Daniels and Charles Clay.

Then there are the inside linebackers: Rolando McClain, David Harris, Brandon Spikes—veterans who could be verifiable run-stuffers on Green Bay's interior. 

But these are the Green Bay Packers, and this is Ted Thompson. Aside from the splashy, surprise offseason acquisition of Julius Peppers last March, Thompson has been reticent in free agency throughout his tenure in Green Bay.

Before Peppers, Thompson's most notable (and successful) free-agent signing was cornerback Charles Woodson in 2006. Others included defensive tackle Ryan Pickett in 2006, corner Frank Walker in '07, linebacker Brandon Chillar in '08, defensive end Anthony Hargrove in '12 and center Jeff Saturday in '12. 

More of the Packers' free-agent signings since 2005 were busts than boons to the team, and as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tyler Dunne discovered in 2013, it's a league-wide trend that spending in free agency causes problems more often than solutions. 

So while other teams make headlines with their big-name acquisitions, more often than not the Packers remain quiet, continuing to scout players thoroughly, draft them and develop them. It's why the Packers have enjoyed continued success with Thompson at the helm.

Is a big free-agent signing ever completely off the table? Of course not; Thompson proved that last offseason with the Peppers acquisition. But it's unlikely.

The Packers have about $23.122 million in salary cap space, assuming the 2015 cap is $142 million, per a projection by Joel Corry, in his report for CBSSports.com. While there's money to be spent, Thompson will prefer to attempt to re-sign notable Green Bay free agents Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga and Tramon Williams rather than bring in outside players.

The following five players could be valuable additions for the Packers but don't expect Thompson to sign them this offseason. 

Julius Thomas, TE

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Twitter was abuzz Tuesday with chatter of free-agent tight end Julius Thomas being a top free-agent target for the Packers, but such rumors remain unsubstantiated. 

This signing is unlikely for two reasons. The first is purely economical: after scoring 24 touchdowns over the last two seasons, Thomas will be looking to be rewarded for his scoring production as his rookie contract expires. 

He tied for the highest number of touchdowns scored among tight ends in 2014 and was third in 2013. On The Sports Show with Woody Paige and Les Shapiro, Thomas was asked if he would give Denver a "hometown discount" to re-sign with the team, and he didn't give a direct answer to the question.

Instead, Thomas said, "I guess it depends on what the market is at the time and determining what’s a discount, what’s fair? And having to see it. It’s hard to speculate and say, ‘This what I will do. This is what I won’t do’ without knowing what’s going to be on the table, what’s going to be in front of you."

While Thomas is likely looking for a long-term, big-dollar deal based on his production, his health needs to be a factor. Thomas hasn't played a full 16 games in his career, missing time with an ankle injury in 2014 and a knee injury in 2013. 

The second reason Thomas is an unlikely signing for the Packers is their continued development of 2014 rookie Richard Rodgers, as well as a 2015 draft class with deep tight end talent. The Packers may not have their No. 1 tight end in 2015 on the roster yet, but if that's the case, expect them to add one through the draft, not free agency. 

Some team is likely to overpay Thomas in free agency, but it won't be the Packers.

Jordan Cameron, TE

David Richard/Associated Press

Jordan Cameron is "not interested in returning to Cleveland," a source told CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora but don't expect the Packers to be one of the teams potentially interested in signing him.

Though the Packers may not have a go-to pass-catching threat on the roster currently, Cameron wouldn't be a worthwhile investment. That's true even if his price might be down as a result of his recent injuries, including his third concussion in two seasons and a shoulder injury in 2014. 

Cameron played out his four-year rookie deal after failing to reach a new deal with Cleveland last offseason and counted $1,550,350 against the Browns' salary cap in 2014, per OvertheCap.com, with a base salary of $1.431 million.

In 2013, Cameron had the best season of his career, with 80 receptions for 917 yards and seven touchdowns. But injuries limited him to 10 games this season, and he scored just twice. 

Notably, Cameron's Twitter bio reads "Pro Bowl pass catcher for the Browns," suggesting that perhaps the tight end feels he should be paid more like a wide receiver in his next deal. In any case, though, the idea of a Pro Bowl tight end catching passes from Aaron Rodgers is tempting, don't expect Thompson to break practice and bring Cameron to Green Bay.

Rolando McClain, ILB

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Rolando McClain's career appeared to be flatlining after he announced his retirement from the NFL in May 2013. But fast-forward to 2014 and his return to the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys; he has looked like an entirely different player.

McClain finished tied for second in voting for the 2014 Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award after a season in which he had the second-most tackles for Dallas. He also had a career-high two interceptions. 

But McClain's troubled past hasn't been erased by his recent success, just softened. And he did miss three games with a knee injury in 2014, not to mention the head injury he sustained against the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

Those factors, as well as his marked drop-off in play in his third season with the Oakland Raiders, make him a bit of a wild card in free agency, one Thompson isn't likely to take a chance on, despite Green Bay's need for a hard-hitting middle linebacker. 

Though McClain might be one of the cheaper veteran inside linebackers available this free-agency period, Thompson's odds of drafting and developing a 2015 prospect at the position have a better chance of panning out in the long run.

And McClain may not even reach free agency—David Moore of The Dallas Morning News said in late January that the Cowboys want McClain back, and he would expect them to offer "a two- to three-year deal with a modest guarantee." 

Brandon Spikes, ILB

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One of the more intriguing potential free agents on the market in 2015 is Buffalo Bills inside linebacker Brandon Spikes. 

In desperate need of improving their run defense from its No. 28 ranking in 2013, the Bills signed Spikes last offseason to a one-year deal worth $3.25 million. In 2014, the Bills improved to No. 11 in the league against the run, and Spikes finished the season as the 13th-best inside linebacker in the league, per Pro Football Focus. 

Spikes also graded out as the No. 9 inside linebacker against the run this season with 54 combined tackles, despite only playing 519 snaps, according to PFF. 

His proven ability to stop the run and his veteran experience make Spikes one of the more attractive free agents the Packers could consider in 2015.

But his price tag would be high relative to length of his contract; if he were to sign another one-year deal, for instance, the Packers would be out between $3 million-$4 million at least that could be better spent bringing back Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga or Tramon Williams. 

Given the likelihood that the Packers could walk away from the draft at the 30th overall pick with one of the top two inside linebacker prospects, Thompson would be more likely to develop a rookie than sign a five-year veteran.

Kenrick Ellis, NT

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A third-round draft pick for the New York Jets in 2011, Kenrick Ellis saw his stake to the starting nose tackle job slip when former undrafted free agent Damon Harrison claimed it. 

Now, Ellis is set to the a free agent, and it seems likely that the Jets will want to keep Harrison at the anchor position; in his 496 snaps in 2014, he graded out as the 16th defensive tackle/nose tackle in the league by Pro Football Focus. 

However, though he only saw 144 snaps this season, Ellis graded well too. He was Pro Football Focus' 14th-best defensive tackle/nose tackle in the league, and the third-best against the run, in 2013, but with his decreased playing time this season, he finished 27th against the run in 2014. Still, he boasts a run-defending skill set the Packers so desperately need on the defensive line. 

After Letroy Guion's arrest earlier this month on felony charges, Green Bay's plans at the nose tackle positoin have come unraveled. Of all the positions the Packers might look to bolster this offseason, if there were any Thompson might look to free agency for, nose tackle might be it. 

However, the Packers also have the option of signing free agent B.J. Raji to another one-year prove-it deal, after he missed his opportunity to do just that last season when he tore his bicep in the preseason. 

Ultimately, if Thompson is going to look to a vetearan rather than a rookie to fill the void at the nose, he's more likely to go with one he knows than a wild card.