Last-Minute Guide to Green Bay Packers' Free Agency
Fast approaching is 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, when the new NFL league year will begin and with it free agency.
After re-signing top free agent Randall Cobb to a four-year, $40 million deal Saturday, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, the Green Bay Packers now have 14 players set to become free agents at that time if they are unable to arrive at a deal prior to the deadline.
Green Bay also re-signed backup quarterback Scott Tolzien to a one-year deal worth $1.35 million, per Bill Huber of Packer Report.
Players have had since 4 p.m. ET on Saturday to begin speaking with other teams during the league's "legal tampering window," so when that deadline hits, deals could begin happening fast and furious.
Though general manager Ted Thompson is not known for getting involved in deals in the first day of free agency, he has made some acquisitions further into the process—15 in all since 2006, per this list compiled by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel—including, most notably, Julius Peppers last March.
What follows is the most essential information to know regarding the Packers ahead of free agency, including available cap space, impending free agents and potential targets the team could look to acquire later this week.
Impending Free Agents
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The following players will become free agents at 4 p.m. on March 10 if the team does not re-sign them prior to that time. What type of free agent each player will become (i.e. unrestricted, restricted or exclusive rights) is noted as well as the player's age and 2014 cap hit.
All table information via Spotrac.com.
| Player | Position | Age | 2014 Cap Hit | Status |
| Tramon Williams | CB | 31 | $9.5M | UFA |
| B.J. Raji | DE/NT | 28 | $4M | UFA |
| Bryan Bulaga | RT | 25 | $3.829M | UFA |
| Jarrett Bush | CB | 30 | $2.033M | UFA |
| Jamari Lattimore | ILB | 26 | $1.431M | UFA |
| Matt Flynn | QB | 29 | $1.078M | UFA |
| John Kuhn | FB | 32 | $1.051M | UFA |
| Letroy Guion | DT | 27 | $985,000 | UFA |
| Davon House | CB | 25 | $720,000 | UFA |
| DuJuan Harris | RB | 26 | $645,000 | UFA |
| Sean Richardson | S | 25 | $571,667 | RFA |
| Don Barclay | RT | 25 | $570,833 | RFA |
| Jarrett Boykin | WR | 25 | $570,000 | RFA |
| Chris Banjo | S | 25 | $87,353 | ERFA |
Cap Space
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Updated:
On March 2, the NFLPA announced that the official salary-cap number for the 2015 season was $143.28 million.
Given that number, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky we knew that the Green Bay Packers had $33,030,981 in cap space prior to re-signing Randall Cobb and Scott Tolzien over the weekend.
On Tuesday, Joel Corry shared the details of Cobb's contract.
"Randall Cobb's 2015, 2016, 2017 & 2018 salary cap numbers are $5.35M, $9.15M, $12.75M & $12.75M.
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) March 10, 2015"
Tolzien re-signed for a one-year deal worth $1.35 million, per Packer Report.
By my calculation, here's how the numbers break down further with those deals factored in:
$143.28 million: 2015 NFL salary cap.
$26,330,981: Packers' cap space for 2015 season.
$151,471,106: Packers' adjusted 2015 salary cap, including $7,791,106 in unused cap space from 2014 (and another $400,000 adjustment).
$125,140,215: Amount Packers have committed to their top 51 contracts and dead money.
Just for fun, here are a few more cap-related figures:
$42,950,000: Amount Packers have committed to their three-highest contracts in 2015, Aaron Rodgers, Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers—36 percent of the 2015 cap is allotted to those three players.
Outside linebackers account for more cap space than any other single position at $29,844,841 spread out among Matthews, Peppers, Nick Perry, Carl Bradford, Nate Palmer, Andy Mulumba, Jayrone Elliott and Adrian Hubbard. (Think of Bradford as an inside linebacker? Then subtract $617,325 from that total.) Still think the Packers will sign an outside linebacker in free agency?
The entire starting offensive line minus Bryan Bulaga, who is a free agent, will make less ($14,187,827) than Rodgers in 2015. Even if Bulaga re-signs, that may still be the case. That—and keeping him off his back—is why Rodgers hooked them up with electronics over the holiday season.
Free-Agent Spotlight: Bryan Bulaga
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Bryan Bulaga is looking to be the league's highest-paid right tackle, with a deal averaging between $7 and $8 million, per Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
He just might not get it from the Packers.
Per Silverstein, teams interested in Bulaga include the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins.
Indianapolis Colts right tackle Gosder Cherilus was the league's highest-paid right tackle in 2014, averaging $7 million per season on a deal valuing $35 million in total, per Over the Cap.
Not only could Bulaga become the league's highest-paid right tackle, but, per Silverstein, some teams believe he could start at left tackle as well. Bulaga graded out as the fourth-best right tackle in the league in 2014 and the 16th-best tackle overall, per Pro Football Focus.
Left guard Josh Sitton's salary averages $6.750 million, and it's unclear if the Packers would want to pay Bulaga more than him.
A source told Silverstein that the Packers are prepared to let Bulaga walk if it's going to take $7 million to re-sign him. Now that Cobb will be averaging $10 million per season, that may be even more likely. But it would be a blow to what was the best offensive line of Mike McCarthy's tenure in 2014.
If Bulaga walks, Don Barclay could step up in his place, but also expect the Packers to address the tackle position through the draft. Texas A&M's Cedric Ogbuehi could be a target in Round 3. A torn ACL late in the season could give teams pause, but he built up a body of tape that says it all beforehand.
“He’s a good football player,” Packers senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith said at Texas A&M's pro day, per Charean Williams of the Star-Telegram. “He’s quick and agile."
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Top Positions to Target in Free Agency
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Ted Thompson rarely uses free agency to address personnel needs, instead preferring to build out and develop his roster through the draft. And now that the Packers have spent a pretty penny to re-sign Randall Cobb, they're less likely to sign a high-profile free agent.
Still, if Bryan Bulaga isn't able to reach a deal with Green Bay, the Packers may bring in a lower-cost free agent. There are a few notable instances in which Thompson has signed a free agent to strengthen a position group, including Charles Woodson, Ryan Pickett, Jeff Saturday and Julius Peppers.
If the Packers do choose to make any moves in free agency this offseason, expect them to address the following positions:
Inside Linebacker
After cutting Brad Jones and A.J. Hawk and with Jamari Lattimore set to hit free agency on March 10, the Packers may need to add a seasoned inside 'backer in free agency to help along the development of any rookies they draft.
The Packers did sign linebacker Josh Francis, who played at West Virginia before moving on to the Canadian Football League and the Indoor Football League, on March 5, via the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tyler Dunne. However, that move seems to be for bench depth and to provide competition in training camp.
Some free-agent names the Packers could consider at different price points? Mason Foster of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Brandon Spikes of the Buffalo Bills. Foster is only 26 ears old and counted just $1.5 million against the Buccaneers' cap last season. He's a three-down linebacker with an incredibly high football IQ who could start immediately if needed.
Spikes had a one-year cap hit of $3.25 million in 2014. He's more effective on running downs and might need to be rotated on third downs, but he could go a long way toward strengthening Green Bay's run defense.
Defensive Tackle/Nose Tackle
Bill Huber of Packer Report reported on February 27 that the Packers plan to re-sign free agent B.J. Raji, but the nose tackle's not even one year removed from a torn bicep for which he underwent a six- to nine-month rehab process.
Green Bay could also re-sign Letroy Guion, who is awaiting the resolution of felony drug and weapon charges brought against him in February.
However, there are a handful of top nose tackles set to hit free agency Tuesday, including Dan Williams of the Arizona Cardinals. Williams could be a fantastic run-stuffer on first and second downs, and he played all 16 games in 2014 with nine starts and 38 total tackles, a sack and a pass defended.
Williams was the No. 8 defensive/nose tackle against the run in 2014, per Pro Football Focus.
However, Williams had a cap hit of $2.185 million in 2014 and may be too rich for the Packers' blood. Still, the new addition of Vince Wilfork on the market after the New England Patriots declined his option could drive Williams' price down and make him a nice mid-week target for Thompson.
Free-Agent Spotlight: Tramon Williams
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Tramon Williams has likely played his last game in green and gold.
The veteran cornerback rejected the Packers' offer of a two-year, $8 million contract, per Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Seattle Seahawks are expected to be suitors.
Williams led the team in interceptions in 2014 and played more snaps than any other defensive player: 1,124, per Pro Football Focus. He has had more tackles in his last two seasons than at any other time in his nine-year career.
However, Williams is turning 32 and had a base salary of $6.9 million in 2014 with a total cap hit of $9.5 million.
Given Williams' age, the Packers' offer was fair. Top cover corners are hard to come by, and he'll find a home elsewhere in the league for 2015. But his 2014 cap hit and his age worked especially hard against him when Green Bay has 25-year-old Davon House to consider as his replacement and Casey Hayward on the roster as well.
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