Packers must consider veteran free agent contracts before training camp

The Green Bay Packers are one of the most promising teams heading into 2024. After a successful first season with Jordan Love as their full-time starter, they have a thriving roster and plenty of hope to build on on the previous campaign.

Much will depend on how well their young players continue to develop. The Packers are one of the best franchises in the league in terms of drafting and development.

There is always room for improvement, though. The possibility of a veteran free agent or two shouldn’t be ruled out, as signing at least one of them could provide valuable depth or injury insurance during a long, grueling season.

Free agency has pretty much run its course this offseason, but there are a few experienced options that still have enough to contribute to a good team.

These three free agents would make sense for the Packers because they would fill a potential need with a player who can still produce.

Now that the Packers have seen what Jordan Love can do at the peak of his powers, keeping him protected will be critical to their success.

The Packers seem to understand this. They used a first-round pick on Jordan Morgan after years of selecting defensive players in the first round. The former Arizona left tackle could possibly play on the perimeter, but his length could also necessitate a move to the interior.

Rasheed Walker might be able to hold down the rookie at left tackle, but if he can’t, the Packers might need a starting guard.

Green Bay has a young group of linemen who could step in to fill the voids left by David Bakhtiari, Yosh Nijman and Jon Runyan. However, adding a veteran could be beneficial.

Greg Van Roten is one of the few veterans on the market who could make a difference. He’s 34, but he just played over 1,000 snaps for the Raiders last season and earned a PFF grade of 75.3 without committing a penalty.

He played on a one-year contract worth $1.6 million last season. He’s probably played well enough to earn more money, but the fact that he’s still on the market suggests he might not get much more.

Proposed contract: one year, $2.5 million

The move from a 3-4 base defense to a 4-3 base defense under Jeff Hafley means the Packers should play more off-ball linebackers this season.

Quay Walker and rookie Edgerrin Cooper should be the main players in the nickel packages. Isaiah McDuffie has been around long enough to be a factor, but there is room for more competition in the linebacker room.

Kwon Alexander should be considered. Unlike some other linebackers still on the market, he’s not yet 30 years old. The 29-year-old has played for five teams in nine seasons, which can be considered a negative, but it also means he has 88 career starts in different systems with respectable production.

The Packers have shown a preference for athletic fans who can hold their own in coverage with the selections of Walker and Cooper in recent years. Alexander may have lost a step, but he can still be a useful cover player.

Last season, he played in nine games for the Steelers and allowed a passer rating of 76.3. He hasn’t given up a passer rating above 100 since 2018.

Alexander would give the Packers insurance against injuries and allow younger options to advance at their own pace.

Proposed contract: one year, $1.5 million

The Green Bay Packers have taken big steps to finally fix their safety room. The position has been problematic for several years. Signing Xavier McKinney while drafting Javon Bullard, Evan Williams and Kitan Oladapo should give the Packers long-term solutions.

The problem is that there is a lot to hope that all three rookies can contribute immediately.

Fortunately for the Packers, the free agent market has not been kind to safeties. Many notable names are still looking for a home. Eddie Jackson, Quandre Diggs and Justin Simmons are all still available.

Jayron Kearse is another name that would make sense for the Packers. He does his best as a strong safety working closer to the line of scrimmage. This would allow Xavier McKinney to do what he does best as a center fielder capable of leading the secondary.

Kearse is a safe tackle with plenty of experience under a good defensive coordinator in Dan Quinn. He won’t post flashy stats or record a ton of turnovers, but he will be a serviceable player who will provide a respectable performance base while the Packers wait for their younger safeties to be ready to play.