Breaking Down Packers' Top Offseason Priorities, Pre-Combine

We're finally approaching a period in the NFL offseason where the Green Bay Packers can begin to address their most pressing offseason priorities.

On February 16, the window opened for teams to apply the franchise tag or transition tag to retain a free-agent player. The Packers will have until 2 p.m. on March 2 to use the franchise tag, if they wish.

And the NFL Scouting Combine, currently underway in Indianapolis with interviews and meetings until the player workouts begin Friday, isn't just an opportunity for general manager Ted Thompson and his team of scouts to evaluate college prospects. The Packers will also meet with the agents of impending free agents to discuss contracts before those agents can meet with other teams. 

Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette notes that the Packers will likely speak with Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga's representation this week in Indianapolis And Davon House said his agent is scheduled to meet with Green Bay at the combine, via Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 

Green Bay's priority list will shift at different important points this offseason, including after the combine and after free agency opens on March 10. 

Let's take a look at what the Packers can accomplish prior to the end of the combine on February 23. 

Begin Talks with Randall Cobb's Agent

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

ESPN.com's Rob Demovksy reported on February 16 that it's unclear whether the Packers have even begun talks with Randall Cobb's agent, Jimmy Sexton, but the two sides are likely to meet at the combine. 

Per Demovsky, Cobb is seeking a deal averaging close to $9 million per year. The Packers have the option of using the franchise tag—estimated to be $12.8 million for wide receivers this year, per NFL Media's Albert Breer via NFL.com's Kevin Patra—on Cobb. But Demovksy reports that "they hope to work out a long-term deal with the receiver."

Cobb's desired deal isn't too far off from Jordy Nelson's four-year, $39 million extension, which has raised questions about whether the Packers are willing to pay Cobb that much. But with Cobb coming off his best season, in which he scored the third-most touchdowns (12) among all receivers, if Green Bay doesn't, someone else will.

Silverstein doesn't think that re-signing both Cobb and Bulaga will be a problem for Green Bay, however. He points out that if the Packers cut A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones—a plausible scenario, since both are entering the last year of their contracts and can be cut without future cap hits—they will have at least $30 million in cap space to re-sign Cobb, Bulaga and other potential free agents. 

When the Packers meet with Cobb's agent this weekend, we may find out just how far apart they are on Cobb's reported price tag. 

Begin Talks with Bryan Bulaga's Agent

Gary Wiepert/Associated Press

If the Packers are able to re-sign Bryan Bulaga this offseason, it could be because of David Bakhtiari. 

How so? Bulaga was set to make the switch to left tackle in the 2013 season but never did; he injured his knee at the Family Night scrimmage in August, and Bakhtiari, then a rookie, stepped into that role and played so well there that it wasn't even a question he would remain there in 2014.

That meant, once healthy, Bulaga stepped back into his familiar role at right tackle, and in 2014 he proved why he is a natural fit there. Pro Football Focus graded him the fourth-best right tackle in the league last season.

Fox Sports Wisconsin's Paul Imig had high praise for Bulaga's 2014 season. "Bulaga established himself as one of the NFL's five best right tackles and, as he turns 26 years old this offseason, still has room to grow, Imig wrote.

If Bulaga had remained a starter at left tackle, as was Green Bay's plan, he might have priced himself out of Green Bay. However, right tackle is a far more affordable position; Bulaga had a base salary of $2,565,500 in 2014, according to Over the Cap. 

Bulaga proved to be an essential part of what was one of the best offensive lines in years for Green Bay, and the Packers can begin the process of re-signing him this weekend by meeting with his representation at the combine. 

Decide: Davon House or Tramon Williams?

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

Cornerbacks House and Williams are both set to become free agents on March 10, and it's not likely Green Bay will bring back both of them. The decision Thompson faces is whether to bring back a proven veteran who has started 99 games but will turn 32 next month or a 25-year-old talent who has only started 14 games. 

House wants to start in 2015, and per Silverstein, it could take upward of $5 million a year to re-sign him. Williams, however, had a base salary of $6.9 million in 2014 and a cap hit of $9.5 million. If he's not willing to take a pay cut, it's hard to imagine Thompson paying a veteran corner approaching 32 years old that kind of money. 

What it will come down to for Green Bay is whether House has proven himself not only worthy of the starting job, but also that kind of money. Though he has performed well when he's been introduced into the starting lineup, such as when he was brought in to cover Julio Jones in Week 14 in place of a struggling Sam Shields, his sample size of starts is small. 

And though House has proven to be physical in man coverage on top receivers, he hasn't been the interception machine Williams is. He has had one interception in each of his last two seasons.

However, he has excelled in pass breakups, including against Jones in that Week 14 game against the Atlanta Falcons, when he broke up a sure touchdown to Jones in the end zone. House had 10 passes defended in each of his last two seasons. 

Once the Packers meet with House's agent at the combine, they'll have a better idea of whether re-signing House to fill the second starting spot opposite Shields is feasible financially.