Packers' Team Needs to Fill in 2022 NFL Free Agency

The Green Bay Packers will have to walk a tightrope this offseason if they are to field a Super Bowl-contending team again in 2022.

There's no other way to describe the conclusion of the 2021 season than disappointing. After earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC through a 13-4 record, they laid an egg in a 13-10 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round.

If Aaron Rodgers returns to the Green and Gold, they should be a threat once again. But the difference between building a Super Bowl team and having one that is merely good can come down to finding the right pieces at bargain prices.

Last year's team wouldn't have been as good without finding a few gems in free agency. De'Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas were both crucial to the defense after signing one-year deals in the offseason.

As they look to find similar bargains on the market, these are the positions they will need to address.

Tight End

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Robert Tonyan's ACL tear threw a wrench into the tight end position for the Packers.

The tight end suffered the injury in late October, forcing Marcedes Lewis to the top of the depth chart. Now, Tonyan hits free agency, and his health makes his market value cloudy. The 27-year-old has been a reliable target for Rodgers, but he only had 18 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns in the eight games he played this season.

Spotrac projects he will earn a four-year contract worth $43.2 million on the open market.

That's a lot of money to invest in a tight end who will be coming off an injury on a team that has some work to do to even clear cap space. The Packers are projected to be $28.2 million over the cap before inevitable cuts and restructures that will clear some space.

Other options on the roster are Lewis, who is 37, and Josiah Deguara, who is more of an H-back than a traditional in-line tight end.

Bringing back Tonyan or finding a starting-caliber tight end elsewhere on the market has to be a priority.

Inside Linebacker

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The Packers hit the free-agent lottery when they signed De'Vondre Campbell. They got an All-Pro linebacker at the incredibly low cost of $2 million for one season.

Campbell is going to earn much more than that on his next contract. Given the Packers' cap situation, it's not hard to imagine that he will be allowed to negotiate a large contract elsewhere. That means the Packers could be looking to find the next Campbell this offseason rather than re-signing him.

That leaves a fairly large hole in the middle of the defense. Krys Barnes was the only other off-ball linebacker who played a large role last season. He will be back next season but struggled in pass coverage, giving up a 110.6 passer rating when targeted.

Ideally, they would be able to find someone to compete with him for snaps, but replacing Campbell will be the priority. It wouldn't be surprising if the Packers were to utilize both the draft and free agency to address this need.

Wide Receiver

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Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Rico Gafford, Juwann Winfree and Chris Blair.

Those are the five wide receivers who are on the Packers roster. The Packers could save $7 million on the cap by cutting Cobb, so it seems unlikely he will be on the team unless he agrees to a restructured contract.

Obviously, the Packers will have the opportunity to re-sign Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, but the cap situation makes it difficult to retain all three.

Lazard is a restricted free agent, so the Packers could keep him with a tender. But Adams is seeking a massive extension, and Valdes-Scantling's market value is a three-year, $26.4 million contract.

That leaves the Packers with a potential dearth of pass-catchers. It's a need that could be addressed through the draft. However, there are 24 receivers in Pro Football Focus's top 200 free agents. Odds are the Packers will be able to find a reasonable deal for a veteran who can help right away.

All salary cap and contract information via Spotrac unless otherwise noted.