2019 Free Agent Wishlist

[speakhands]

So obvious this season was a disappointment, but luckily this is a great year for free agents at our primary positions of need: Edge, OL, and S.

My wishlist would go as follows:

1. Lamarcus Joyner, S/DB - team leader, can be the league's best cover safety or its best slot corner
2. Dee Ford, Edge
3. Jadeveon Clowney, Edge
4. Ali Marpet, C/G - young, versatile and grades out as a top ten player at his position
5. Landon Collins, S - I am the opposite of sold on Josh Jones
6. CJ Mosley, ILB - not a position of pressing positional need, but both Mosley and Hicks are game changing 4-down players
7. Jordan Hicks, ILB
8. Markus Golden, Edge - could be a decent value as a second-tier pass rusher; had an 11-sack season in 2016
9. Donte Moncrief, WR - still need an explosive receiver that can win at the point of the catch
10. Mario Edwards, DE - very interesting tweener; could be a higher upside/lower cost alternative to Wilkerson
11. Shane Ray, Edge
12. Travis Swanson, C/G
13. Bruce Ellington, WR - he's a younger, cheaper, and more athletic version of Randall Cobb
14. Ja'Wuan James - OT - quality tackle to replace Bulaga, but it's hard to imagine Miami doesn't make a play for him
15. Earl Thomas - S - hard to imagine he doesn't price himself out of the Packers' market, but who knows.

 

[Alex]

Doubt it'd ever happen but I'd be incredibly excited if they could sign Clowney and Mathieu and then a slot receiver on a good deal.

 

[speakhands]

Doubt it'd ever happen but I'd be incredibly excited if they could sign Clowney and Mathieu and then a slot receiver on a good deal.

It's hard to know what Gute will do, but I thought Ellington seemed like a prototypical TT-type player: versatile, smart, humble, and completely unspectacular.

 

[XPack]

Clowney - 37T + 6A + 8S
Clay - 41T + 13A + 4.5S

Stats don't show that much of an improvement. Unless he comes cheaper than Clay with a paycut, is he really worth being a top FA target?

 

[RepStar15]

I doubt they will hit the open market, but if they do I would love the see Clowney, Dee Ford or CJ Mosley in GB.

 

[GleefulGary]

Clowney - 37T + 6A + 8S
Clay - 41T + 13A + 4.5S

Stats don't show that much of an improvement. Unless he comes cheaper than Clay with a paycut, is he really worth being a top FA target?

How about pressures?

You can't evaluate guys just by box score stats.

 

[XPack]

How about pressures?

You can't evaluate guys just by box score stats.

How about it? I haven't seen much of him, I admit....but is he a significant upgrade?

 

[Dantés]

Ali Marpet is signed with the Bucs through 2023.

 

[OldSchool101]

If we signed D Ford at <=4yr/35-40M?
I’d be Ecstatic.
Then I’d pair him with another OLB with 1 of our 2 first day picks..right after I help Clay pack

Then I’d attempt to lock Earl Thomas on a short term deal 2-3 years.

I’d hit FA one more time at OL and then move on to the draft.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Gute just put the first piece into the Super Bowl puzzle today!!

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/12/17/packers-claim-kapri-bibbs/

 

[PackerDNA]

I doubt they will hit the open market, but if they do I would love the see Clowney, Dee Ford or CJ Mosley in GB.

I'm thinking there's a possibility of Clowney. The Texans have Watt and a lot of other money tied up in that defense.

 

[PackerDNA]

How about it? I haven't seen much of him, I admit....but is he a significant upgrade?

Clowney had some injury problems earlier in his career, but seems have gotten past that. Yes should be a significant upgrade anywhere. He's an incredible natural talent, with off-the-chart athleticism and the ability to take games over by himself.

 

[Mondio]

I don't think Clay is as good as gone. If Pettine is back, I think there's a better than Lloyd Christmas chance he's back for around 3-6 million depending on how contract is written. If Pettine is gone and the whole D is starting over again, then he probably will be too.

 

[G0P4ckG0]

Mosley was #1 on my draft list, so obviously I'd love him in GB

 

[Dantés]

I'm thinking there's a possibility of Clowney. The Texans have Watt and a lot of other money tied up in that defense.

The Texans are slated to have around 75M in cap space, which would be a lot more than the Packers and 6th most in the league.

 

[PackerDNA]

The Texans are slated to have around 75M in cap space, which would be a lot more than the Packers and 6th most in the league.

In that case, forget about Clowney.

 

[elcid]

My wish list for FA (Ranked on how much I'd like them at GB per positional group):

DB/S:
Tyran Mathieu
Landon Collins
Adrian Amos
Tre Boston

EDGE:
Dee Ford
Frank Clark
Trey Flowers
Jadaveon Clowney
Za'darius Smith
Preston Smith
Romeo Okwara

OL:
Daryl Williams
Juwuan James
Jordan Mills
Quinton Spain

ILB:
C.J. Mosley
Preston Brown
Kwon Alexander
Cory Littleton

WR (but id prefer to draft Marquise Brown at this point):
Adam Humphries
Jamison Crowder
Bruce Ellington

RB:
Leveon Bell (I know, not happening)
Peyton Barber
Tevin Coleman
Gus Edwards

2 one each side of the ball of any of these players and I'd be very pleased.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

I don't think Clay is as good as gone. If Pettine is back, I think there's a better than Lloyd Christmas chance he's back for around 3-6 million depending on how contract is written. If Pettine is gone and the whole D is starting over again, then he probably will be too.

Agreed and I think Pettine, whether he is retained as DC or not, will provide the Packer organization more information on Clay's value to the defense than any of us can. While he has definitely been overpaid under his current contract, I still see a guy worth retaining at the right price, especially given our current lack of quality players at OLB.

All that said, Clay is probably going to be one of those very recognizable names in Free Agency and that alone might cause some teams to be willing to overpay for his services.

 

[GleefulGary]

If we signed D Ford at <=4yr/35-40M?
I’d be Ecstatic.
Then I’d pair him with another OLB with 1 of our 2 first day picks..right after I help Clay pack

Then I’d attempt to lock Earl Thomas on a short term deal 2-3 years.

I’d hit FA one more time at OL and then move on to the draft.

Why would Dee Ford sign for 10/year?

Good edges, and he is one, are gonna go higher than that. He would get a contract that is at minimum, like Nick Perry's.

 

[XPack]

Clowney had some injury problems earlier in his career, but seems have gotten past that. Yes should be a significant upgrade anywhere. He's an incredible natural talent, with off-the-chart athleticism and the ability to take games over by himself.

We seem to be going down the talented but injured players, Mo Wilks was one such and it hasn't worked out., yet. His past 3 year stats do look impressive, but considering out luck with injuries...I'm not sure at all.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Why would Dee Ford sign for 10/year?

Good edges, and he is one, are gonna go higher than that. He would get a contract that is at minimum, like Nick Perry's.

Agreed.

I didn't know much about Dee Ford, but the more I read, the more it sounds like he will hit the $15-20M/year mark. Tough investment to call on a guy who is having a career season in his 5th year. As a whole, the Chiefs defense is probably about as bad as you will see for an 11-3 team, so hard to say "he is great because the guys around him are great." Also sounds like the Chiefs may just go ahead and tag him, so signing him may never be an option.

https://247sports.com/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/Article/Dee-Ford-20-million-a-year-124427939/

 

[GleefulGary]

Imma be blunt (as if I'm ever anything but).

Fixing the LG and RG spots will help this offense more than signing a FA WR will. Could probably add RT to that as well. Linsley and Bakh are good, obviously. Taylor's play dropped this year. Maybe he would be better at RG, idk, but he was average at best this year. McCray, Bell, Patrick...they've been a disaster. I don't think you can rely on Bulaga anymore.

I would like to bring Clay back at a low price if he's willing, and I could be convinced to re-sign Cobb at a low price as well. Bring Breeland back for sure imo.

 

[GleefulGary]

Anyways, I'd like to make a play for Aaron Lynch from the Bears. He can play a similar role to what Nick Perry does here.

Maybe a guy like James Carpenter at G? Ja'Waun James would be really nice at RT. Ty Nsekhe is a little older, but not a bad option that can play OG or OT.

Earl Thomas is my dream.

I don't think it would hurt to bring back Wilkerson.

I can't imagine the Patriots don't bring back Trey Flowers, but I'd love him. Brandon Graham is another interesting addition we could make at edge. Oh! Cam Wake is going to be a FA. I know he's old...but he's still really good. He just plays on an awful team. I would love to bring him in. Think he could be a dynamic pass rusher for us.

I think those spots are the most important to address in FA. OL, Edge, and S. Have to address them.

 

[rodell330]

They need to upgrade the RG And RT spot bad. I don’t want Bulaga back not even a little bit. The guy is just not built to withstand an NFL season. He can never be relied upon. No thanks. Spriggs isn’t even NFL material so he can gonrigjt back to the bench until
His 4 yrs are up. ALL the guards suck...so there’s that. I’d take a RT as early as the 2nd rd bit not in the 1st. Then see about a RG via free agency. If we can get Collins or Mathieu I’ll be very happy. D Ford would be great as well.

 

[GleefulGary]

Spriggs isn't that bad tbh.

He's not good enough to be isolated against Khalil Mack, but not very many are. Our coaching not giving help to our OT's doesn't exactly help out. But Spriggs really isn't that bad.