Free Agency: Packers Should Green Bay Pursue?

GleefulGary

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OP...that thread title. Wow.

Stupendous. Outrageous. Brave.

I hope somebody on the cutting edge makes you an English teacher.
 
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I resemble that sarcastic tone, sir.
I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of reintroducing the words in various positions in the sentence in order to find the most obvious or logical outcome. Although after multiple attempts, I was reduced to looking into the thread answers to resolve my frustrations of experiencing a virtual dyslexia.
Thank You for that! :laugh:
 

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I think the Packers should be thinking of WR, TE, OT, iDL, LB, and CB as positions that could use FA attention. That is not to say that a significant addition could be made at all six positions, but those are the spots that I'm looking at for help. So who would fit in well at those spots?

Wide Receiver: There isn't a lot to like with this free agent class at wide receiver. While there are plenty of needs in the receiving corps, it wouldn't be shocking to me if investment here was minimal or even saved entirely for the draft. However, there is a handful of names that at least raise an eyebrow.
  • Emmanuel Sanders, 49ers: Even at 32 and coming off an injury, Sanders demonstrated that he still brings value. And what's more, he made a great impact in offenses very similar to Green Bay's.
  • Tajae Sharpe, Titans: Sharpe isn't a dynamic weapon, but he can separate and move the chains, which the Packers need in the offense. The tricky part is that he's a WR3/WR4 who can't play on special teams, which is something of a roster burden.
Tight End: If the right player or two actually makes it to market, TE might be a much better avenue for improving the pass catching weapons. Someone with true dual-threat ability as a receiver/blocker would be ideal for the offense.
  • Hunter Henry, Chargers: If Henry gets out of that garbage dump because of his injury history, he's a guy who would be worth the risk. He's an excellent intermediate target in the passing game, while also adding strong blocking ability. He's the type of player that could unlock a lot on offense because he's so capable whether the call is run or pass.
  • Austin Hooper, Falcons: Hooper is more trailer than truck when it has come to the Atlanta offense, benefiting more from the players around him rather than creating opportunities as a mismatch. That said, he's a reliable target over the middle of the field, and is solid as a blocker, so you could do worse.
  • Marcedes Lewis, Packers: If the above aren't options or if GB doesn't have the cap space wherewithal, the Packers should just resign Lewis who, while not offering much as a pass catcher, has worked well as a blocker in the offense.
Offensive Tackle: With Bulaga due to hit free agency, the Packers have a decision to make. After a price is negotiated, are they willing to pay it? And how long will they have to commit to an aging player? While eating up a hefty chunk of the cap with a 30 year old isn't ideal, having a glaring hole at right tackle would probably be worse.
  • Bryan Bulaga, Packers: Though he's dealt with his share of injuries and he's entering the latter stages of his career, Bulaga is still one of the best right tackles in football. Unless his asking price is outrageous, I think the smart move is to keep him.
Interior Defensive Line: While the Packers aren't completely devoid of talent on their defensive line, they are totally missing a backfield disruptor. They drafted Adams for that role and he didn't pan out. Keke also profiles that way, but he's a 5th rounder who barely played last year. So while they don't need a 80% snap count stud, they could use help in the role.
  • Gerald McCoy, Panthers: McCoy is still very effective at getting into the backfield from both the 3 and the 1. As an older player, he could be an ideal match to go with the young and developing Keke. He would certainly need to be spelled often enough for younger players to get a lot of snaps.
  • Maliek Collins, Cowboys: Collins is a classic 3T who has been a solid contributor for the Cowboys for a few seasons now. I'm not going to claim to have watched a ton of him, but those who follow Dallas all seem to say that his disruption on tape is more impressive than his modest production.
  • Shelby Harris, Broncos: Harris has moved between DE and DT during his time in Denver, but seems to have found a good niche as an under tackle.
Linebacker: With Martinez likely walking away, Burks disappointing, and Goodson also a free agent, the cupboard projects to be virtually bare at linebacker. This is one spot where it would absolutely shock me if they didn't sign someone.
  • Cory Littleton, Rams: Littleton isn't going to be handling any guards in the hole any time soon, but he's a legit coverage linebacker and a reliable tackler with plenty of range. He is going to be the spendiest linebacker on the market, but he also offers a defense the most flexibility.
  • Nick Kwiatkoski, Bears: Kwiatkoski has apparently shown very well whenever injuries have forced him into the lineup for the Bears. So while there's a chance he doesn't play as well in a full time role, there's also a chance that he turns out to be a value. In what I have seen of him, he's a much more aggressive downhill player than what we've had in Green Bay.
Cornerback: While the outside starters are set for the time being, King is an uneven player entering a contract year and the depth is close to non-existent. Barely proven Chandon Sullivan being your 3rd corner is a problem.
  • Chris Harris Jr, Broncos: Harris Jr. has been the best slot corner in the league for a long time. He played on the outside almost exclusively in 2019 and thus didn't perform as well, but I would guess that a move back inside would return him to form despite his age.
  • Mackensie Alexander, Vikings: Alexander never developed into what the Vikings hoped he would, but was still a solid slot player for them last year. His former DB's coach is now in the same role for the Packers, so they should have some excellent intel on him.
  • Kendall Fuller, Chiefs: Fuller was an excellent slot corner in Washington, but the Chiefs moved him to safety. That versatility is nice, but he could also likely go back to his old role and thrive.
I see where Greg Olsen was signed by Seattle. He has an injury history these days but he can catch. He also manages to get separation. I think the gamble would have been worth it. I think the GB punter would agree. He spends a lot of time out there.
 

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I see where Greg Olsen was signed by Seattle. He has an injury history these days but he can catch. He also manages to get separation. I think the gamble would have been worth it. I think the GB punter would agree. He spends a lot of time out there.
I think he would've been a contributor but considering how the Graham experiment ultimately didn't work, I can see why we hesitated on signing another aging TE. I think he could've been a good blocker at the very least.
 

tynimiller

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I think he could've been a good blocker at the very least.

Lewis resigning will cost less and provide better blocking, not too mention his hands while connected to a lumbering body are more than many think.
 

GreenNGold_81

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I think he would've been a contributor but considering how the Graham experiment ultimately didn't work, I can see why we hesitated on signing another aging TE. I think he could've been a good blocker at the very least.

Getting Olsen for them seems a little risky TBH. He's probably not that much of an upgrade over Hollister (or a recuperated Dissly) given his age and injury history as of late. I think he's best left to ride off into the sunset personally.
 

melvin dangerr

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I think the Packers should be thinking of WR, TE, OT, iDL, LB, and CB as positions that could use FA attention. That is not to say that a significant addition could be made at all six positions, but those are the spots that I'm looking at for help. So who would fit in well at those spots?

Wide Receiver: There isn't a lot to like with this free agent class at wide receiver. While there are plenty of needs in the receiving corps, it wouldn't be shocking to me if investment here was minimal or even saved entirely for the draft. However, there is a handful of names that at least raise an eyebrow.
  • Emmanuel Sanders, 49ers: Even at 32 and coming off an injury, Sanders demonstrated that he still brings value. And what's more, he made a great impact in offenses very similar to Green Bay's.
  • Tajae Sharpe, Titans: Sharpe isn't a dynamic weapon, but he can separate and move the chains, which the Packers need in the offense. The tricky part is that he's a WR3/WR4 who can't play on special teams, which is something of a roster burden.
Tight End: If the right player or two actually makes it to market, TE might be a much better avenue for improving the pass catching weapons. Someone with true dual-threat ability as a receiver/blocker would be ideal for the offense.
  • Hunter Henry, Chargers: If Henry gets out of that garbage dump because of his injury history, he's a guy who would be worth the risk. He's an excellent intermediate target in the passing game, while also adding strong blocking ability. He's the type of player that could unlock a lot on offense because he's so capable whether the call is run or pass.
  • Austin Hooper, Falcons: Hooper is more trailer than truck when it has come to the Atlanta offense, benefiting more from the players around him rather than creating opportunities as a mismatch. That said, he's a reliable target over the middle of the field, and is solid as a blocker, so you could do worse.
  • Marcedes Lewis, Packers: If the above aren't options or if GB doesn't have the cap space wherewithal, the Packers should just resign Lewis who, while not offering much as a pass catcher, has worked well as a blocker in the offense.
Offensive Tackle: With Bulaga due to hit free agency, the Packers have a decision to make. After a price is negotiated, are they willing to pay it? And how long will they have to commit to an aging player? While eating up a hefty chunk of the cap with a 30 year old isn't ideal, having a glaring hole at right tackle would probably be worse.
  • Bryan Bulaga, Packers: Though he's dealt with his share of injuries and he's entering the latter stages of his career, Bulaga is still one of the best right tackles in football. Unless his asking price is outrageous, I think the smart move is to keep him.
Interior Defensive Line: While the Packers aren't completely devoid of talent on their defensive line, they are totally missing a backfield disruptor. They drafted Adams for that role and he didn't pan out. Keke also profiles that way, but he's a 5th rounder who barely played last year. So while they don't need a 80% snap count stud, they could use help in the role.
  • Gerald McCoy, Panthers: McCoy is still very effective at getting into the backfield from both the 3 and the 1. As an older player, he could be an ideal match to go with the young and developing Keke. He would certainly need to be spelled often enough for younger players to get a lot of snaps.
  • Maliek Collins, Cowboys: Collins is a classic 3T who has been a solid contributor for the Cowboys for a few seasons now. I'm not going to claim to have watched a ton of him, but those who follow Dallas all seem to say that his disruption on tape is more impressive than his modest production.
  • Shelby Harris, Broncos: Harris has moved between DE and DT during his time in Denver, but seems to have found a good niche as an under tackle.
Linebacker: With Martinez likely walking away, Burks disappointing, and Goodson also a free agent, the cupboard projects to be virtually bare at linebacker. This is one spot where it would absolutely shock me if they didn't sign someone.
  • Cory Littleton, Rams: Littleton isn't going to be handling any guards in the hole any time soon, but he's a legit coverage linebacker and a reliable tackler with plenty of range. He is going to be the spendiest linebacker on the market, but he also offers a defense the most flexibility.
  • Nick Kwiatkoski, Bears: Kwiatkoski has apparently shown very well whenever injuries have forced him into the lineup for the Bears. So while there's a chance he doesn't play as well in a full time role, there's also a chance that he turns out to be a value. In what I have seen of him, he's a much more aggressive downhill player than what we've had in Green Bay.
Cornerback: While the outside starters are set for the time being, King is an uneven player entering a contract year and the depth is close to non-existent. Barely proven Chandon Sullivan being your 3rd corner is a problem.
  • Chris Harris Jr, Broncos: Harris Jr. has been the best slot corner in the league for a long time. He played on the outside almost exclusively in 2019 and thus didn't perform as well, but I would guess that a move back inside would return him to form despite his age.
  • Mackensie Alexander, Vikings: Alexander never developed into what the Vikings hoped he would, but was still a solid slot player for them last year. His former DB's coach is now in the same role for the Packers, so they should have some excellent intel on him.
  • Kendall Fuller, Chiefs: Fuller was an excellent slot corner in Washington, but the Chiefs moved him to safety. That versatility is nice, but he could also likely go back to his old role and thrive.
Austin Hooper from the ATL Falcons might be worth a look, he was out the first 8 weeks with a MCL injury but when he came back after recovering he had 75 Rec 787yds 6TD’s and he had just one drop, and at 6’4 254 a big target, he’s only 25yo and could develop into a blocking TE, with his last years salary at 2.25Mil he could be a bargain as a FA.
 

melvin dangerr

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While I would love to say we have the fiscal ability to sign a #1 TE, a #1 ILB, a starting #2 WR and a DT to pair with Clark....albeit at the expense of ignoring signing a RT which is presently perhaps the largest void we have outside ILB (loss Goodson and Blake)....it simply is not happening, unless it is a bunch of old final years veterans to start as stop gaps to bridge to the future.

Which I'll be honest I've come around to the position at tight end sign Lewis and pair with a draft pick, but you gotta grab a top flight WR in the draft or spend for a surefire #2/#3 in FA to do so...but that TE move SAVES a lot of cash....enough to possibly justify resigning the likes of Bulaga...which if you can convince Bulaga and Veldheer to resign, cut Linsley and the desperate nature of RT can be saved perhaps for another year and allow cash and draft picks to focus elsewhere with a win now mentality.

ILB, RT, WR, DT.....CB and TE are the issues to be actively looking for guys in both FA and Draft with a keener attention. That said only position I'm fine with us spending serious top dollar cash for it's position in FA is ILB given our cash situation. Should we cut Linsley, I believe then and only then can it become realistic to imagine a world where GB adds the likes of a Littleton at ILB and a Robbie Anderson at WR or a Littleton and Hooper pairing in FA.

Because keep in mind while small you have resigns set to occur or be discuss with the likes of Goodson, Crosby, Bulaga, Veldheer, Lewis, Tramon...and shoot this is all operating under the assumption we are cutting Graham...watch Green Bay and Graham shock everyone and re-structure....
I think we had enough shocks for this year, and hopefully Graham not returning to GB won’t be one.
 
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He is the 5th best free agent at WR. 55 receptions, 828 yards, 3 tds, last year. He has more WR experience playing with Rodgers than anyone on the current roster. So convince me why we shouldn't offer Cobb a deal close to $7 million a season.

The Packers have more pressing needs to address and not enough cap space to pay $7 million a season for a 30-year old slot receiver Gutekunst deemed not good enough to bring back last season.

I know its easy to say bring in a young guy. The reality is we do have a bunch of young guys who can't catch.

With time running out, its about now, filling that # 2 spot, Grab a young WR in the early draft.

Gutekunst has to hit on a wide receiver in this year's draft to improve the position. Free agency doesn't seem to be a decent option this offseason though.

If Bulaga gets an offer from another team that is too rich for our blood how about resigning Veldheer and then draft a tackle kinda high and groom the kid for the future?

The Packers would definitely have to spend an early rounder on a right tackle if they decide to let Bulaga walk away in free agency.

I'd rather pay Cobb who is both younger, had a better year than people gave him credit for, and has chemistry with Rodgers, than sign Sanders.

While I might agree with you on that the Packers should pass on both of them.

At TE I think it should be Henry if they want to go big, or Ebron if they want to save some money.

I think a team will overpay for Ebron based on his production in 2018. Hopefully the Packers won't be the one.

https://www.google.com/search?q=wr+.....69i57j0l7.2245j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Player - 2019 salary - Not including bonuses
Amari Cooper - $14 million 79 receptions, 1,189 yards, eight touchdowns
AJ Green - $12 million DNP
Emmanual Sanders - $10 million 66 receptions, 869 yards, five touchdowns
Robby Anderson - $3 million 52 receptions, 779 yards, five touchdowns
Randall Cobb - $2 million 55 receptions, 828 yards, three touchdowns
Breshard Perriman - $2 million 36 receptions, 645 yards, six touchdowns
Danny Amendola - $4 million 62 receptions, 648 yards, one touchdown
Philip Dorsett - $1.5 million 29 catches, 397 yards, five touchdowns

If you are fine with the Wide Receivers on the roster, than you are one of the few that was happy with the play of our WR corp on this board.

First of all Cobb made $5 million in 2019. More importantly his salary ranking among other free agent wide receivers doesn't make him one of the five best available at the position.

Let me be clear about it, I'm definitely not confident about the receiving corps entering the offseason and agree there's a dire need to improve the talent level but bringing back Cobb for $7+ million isn't the way to go.

We may need to trade up slightly inside day 2, but nothing dramatic. They would ideally be from this group. Much will depend on who we resign.
LB, OT, WR, DT, C, TE (not necessarily in that order).

The positions I think we need most in FA would be
TE (Graham’s successor)
ILB (Martinez successor)
DT (to pair upfront)
WR (as a #2-#3 type)

At this point right tackle is a huge need with Bulaga and Veldheer headed towards free agency while center isn't one at all with Linsley and Patrick under contract. That might change before the start of free agency though.

I see where Greg Olsen was signed by Seattle. He has an injury history these days but he can catch. He also manages to get separation. I think the gamble would have been worth it.

I wouldn't have felt comfortable with the Packers spending $7 million on Olsen either.

Austin Hooper from the ATL Falcons might be worth a look, he was out the first 8 weeks with a MCL injury but when he came back after recovering he had 75 Rec 787yds 6TD’s and he had just one drop, and at 6’4 254 a big target, he’s only 25yo and could develop into a blocking TE, with his last years salary at 2.25Mil he could be a bargain as a FA.

Just for the record, Hooper played in 13 games last season.
 

Pokerbrat2000

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Anyone know what is up with WR Corey Coleman? Was a #15 pick for the Browns and the first WR selected in the 2016 draft. Between injuries and bouncing around, he hasn't done much. The Giants liked him enough last year to put a first round tender on him, but then he tore his ACL in camp.

Not saying the Packers should sign him, but at the age of 25, if he has tread left on his tires, he could be a cheap camp body with a potential big upside.
 

tynimiller

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Anyone know what is up with WR Corey Coleman? Was a #15 pick for the Browns and the first WR selected in the 2016 draft. Between injuries and bouncing around, he hasn't done much. The Giants liked him enough last year to put a first round tender on him, but then he tore his ACL in camp.

Not saying the Packers should sign him, but at the age of 25, if he has tread left on his tires, he could be a cheap camp body with a potential big upside.

I always saw Coleman as a casuality of the Browns system personally. I 100% would take a flyer on him to see what he is now post ACL...if he is anywhere close to his old self he instantly IMO is our #3 on the current roster most likely. Worst case that injury ruined him entirely and he doesn't make it to the 53.
 

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I always saw Coleman as a casuality of the Browns system personally. I 100% would take a flyer on him to see what he is now post ACL...if he is anywhere close to his old self he instantly IMO is our #3 on the current roster most likely. Worst case that injury ruined him entirely and he doesn't make it to the 53.

I agree on the surface, but couldn't find enough information on him and why he has bounced around so much. Browns---->Bills------>Pats------->Giants. Maybe a head case? I know he demanded a trade out of Cleveland before the 2018 season started, because he wasn't getting reps with the first team.

A few potential red flags for sure, but was just curious if anyone knew anything. If his medicals look good and he isn't a head case, might be worth a kick of his tires, but if either or both of those are big red flags, then Mods, please delete my posts. :D
 
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I see where Greg Olsen was signed by Seattle. He has an injury history these days but he can catch. He also manages to get separation. I think the gamble would have been worth it. I think the GB punter would agree. He spends a lot of time out there.

Given that the Packers don't have a lot of cap space to work with this offseason, I am very glad that they didn't use 7M of it on Greg Olsen.
 

GleefulGary

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Anyone know what is up with WR Corey Coleman? Was a #15 pick for the Browns and the first WR selected in the 2016 draft. Between injuries and bouncing around, he hasn't done much. The Giants liked him enough last year to put a first round tender on him, but then he tore his ACL in camp.

Not saying the Packers should sign him, but at the age of 25, if he has tread left on his tires, he could be a cheap camp body with a potential big upside.

He's not good.
 

Pokerbrat2000

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He's not good.

Yet the Giants put a first round tender on him last year? Now that doesn't automatically make him good and he hasn't done much in the NFL to make me believe he was worth the high #1 pick by the Browns, yet both the Browns and the Giants saw something.

So I have to ask, why isn't he good?
 
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Yet the Giants put a first round tender on him last year? Now that doesn't automatically make him good and he hasn't done much in the NFL to make me believe he was worth the high #1 pick by the Browns, yet both the Browns and the Giants saw something.

So I have to ask, why isn't he good?

He's a fantastic athlete who came out of a simplistic offense, but has not developed in his offensive understanding. Reports that I've read seem to indicate maturity issues.
 
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While I would love to say we have the fiscal ability to sign a #1 TE, a #1 ILB, a starting #2 WR and a DT to pair with Clark....albeit at the expense of ignoring signing a RT which is presently perhaps the largest void we have outside ILB (loss Goodson and Blake)....it simply is not happening, unless it is a bunch of old final years veterans to start as stop gaps to bridge to the future.
Maybe some other poster eluded to getting all of those positions covered? but I didn’t (your post just happened to coincide with my list of “wants” and immediately after) I’ve said all along in multiple posts that we will do good to get 2 upgrades through FA. Maybe a lower third FA contract to replace a current player who we send packing. No way do we even come close repeating last years moves, I thought that was a given.
Unfortunately, every time I work my math, we come up short at 1-2 prospects of the 5 or so positions. Unless we borrow against future assets we can’t cover every last need. We essentially need to prioritize.
In a dream scenario, if we were spotted +10mil, plus one more 1st rounder? we’d absolutely crush it

At this point right tackle is a huge need with Bulaga and Veldheer headed towards free agency while center isn't one at all with Linsley and Patrick under contract. That might change before the start of free agency though.
Yeah. Listing C of course was anticipating Linsley as being a possible cap casualty. It just may be the exact opposite, that Gute emphasizes keeping his OL intact and he may try to negotiate a few multi year contracts (In a possible effort to spread the OL cap hits to achieve picking up a few upgrades at other positions) while focusing on our weaknesses from 2019.
It’ll be intriguing to see the direction of those first few moves... either resigns or departures. It should give us a good glimpse into the thought process of his team building/position value philosophy.
 
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Pokerbrat2000

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He's a fantastic athlete who came out of a simplistic offense, but has not developed in his offensive understanding. Reports that I've read seem to indicate maturity issues.

Thanks, much better than "he isn't any good".

Again, I know very little about the guy, but wonder what it would take to tap into his athleticism or if he is just a lost cause. The little I have read leads me to believe that the Giants were pretty excited about him last year.

Unfortunately, I think the Packers have all the "WR projects" that they need right now, so probably not even a guy Gute would consider.
 
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A note on Nick Kwiatkoski, linebacker from Chicago.

Background: Kwiatkoski came out of West Virginia as a good, not great athlete who had been very productive for the Mountaineers. He received middling reports from draft analysts, and ultimately was taken in the 4th round (18 picks before Martinez, in fact). He caught on immediately as a core special teamer and was actually forced into the lineup to play 400+ snaps on defense as a rookie. His snaps declined somewhat in 2017 as the starters were healthier, and dipped to an all time low of 111 in 2018 as Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan dominated their respective roles.

2019: This last season, the Bears had to call on Kwiatkoski to play 512 snaps on defense due to injuries to Smith and Trevathan. He demonstrated that he's grown as a linebacker, meriting above average grades and achieving impressive production. Having watched as much of him from last year as I can find, he's an aggressive, downhill attacking linebacker who is still comfortable moving away from the line of scrimmage. He was far more impressive at dealing with blockers than anything I've seen from a Packers LB in quite some time.

Production: Pro Football Reference credits Kwiatkoski with 56 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 QB Hits, 4 Passes Defended, 1 Forced Fumble and 1 Interception. Again, that's on 512 snaps.

For comparison, Blake Martinez played 1,024 snaps on defense last year and achieved: 97 solo tackles, 58 assisted tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 QB Hits, 1 Pass Defended, 1 Forced Fumble, and 1 Interception.

Martinez had exactly double Kwiatkoski's snaps. If you assume that Kwiatkoski performs comparably on doubled snaps (which is not anything like a guaranteed assumption, but for the sake of comparison), he was tracking for 112 solo tackles, 40 assisted tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 6 QB Hits, 8 Passes Defended, 2 Forced Fumbles, and 2 Interceptions.

The necessary caveats are that you can't assume a rate like this with 100% confidence (though 512 snaps is not a bad sample) and the Bears defense was better than the Packers' generally. But even with that said, Kwiatkoski still made more "impact plays" (e.g. negative tackles and turnovers) than Martinez on half as many snaps. So it's safe to say that he's the more impactful player.

Bottom Line: I would guess that because he's been a part timer player, Kwiatkoski is going to be in a cheaper price bracket compared to Littleton, Schobert, Martinez, etc. While Littleton would be my first choice due to his man cover skills, Kwiatkoski could be a smart buy if cap constraints or player choices mean they can't land the former. I would guess that 7-8M might get the job done, whereas Littleton might flirt with something close to double that.
 

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Yet the Giants put a first round tender on him last year? Now that doesn't automatically make him good and he hasn't done much in the NFL to make me believe he was worth the high #1 pick by the Browns, yet both the Browns and the Giants saw something.

So I have to ask, why isn't he good?

Didn't the Pats drop him after a week or something? (Ok I just looked this up!) He was signed, cut a week later. Then signed to practice squad, and then cut a week later. That's very revealing.

The Giants and Brown's aren't exemplary examples of well run organizations, so I guess I don't care what they did? What happened in NE is much more valid, imo.
 

GleefulGary

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Thanks, much better than "he isn't any good".

Again, I know very little about the guy, but wonder what it would take to tap into his athleticism or if he is just a lost cause. The little I have read leads me to believe that the Giants were pretty excited about him last year.

Unfortunately, I think the Packers have all the "WR projects" that they need right now, so probably not even a guy Gute would consider.

I like to keep simple things simple.
 

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part timer that needs to room to be a starter. he could be our Z Smith, on the inside
 

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A note on Nick Kwiatkoski, linebacker from Chicago.

Background: Kwiatkoski came out of West Virginia as a good, not great athlete who had been very productive for the Mountaineers. He received middling reports from draft analysts, and ultimately was taken in the 4th round (18 picks before Martinez, in fact). He caught on immediately as a core special teamer and was actually forced into the lineup to play 400+ snaps on defense as a rookie. His snaps declined somewhat in 2017 as the starters were healthier, and dipped to an all time low of 111 in 2018 as Roquan Smith and Danny Trevathan dominated their respective roles.

2019: This last season, the Bears had to call on Kwiatkoski to play 512 snaps on defense due to injuries to Smith and Trevathan. He demonstrated that he's grown as a linebacker, meriting above average grades and achieving impressive production. Having watched as much of him from last year as I can find, he's an aggressive, downhill attacking linebacker who is still comfortable moving away from the line of scrimmage. He was far more impressive at dealing with blockers than anything I've seen from a Packers LB in quite some time.

Production: Pro Football Reference credits Kwiatkoski with 56 solo tackles, 20 assisted tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 QB Hits, 4 Passes Defended, 1 Forced Fumble and 1 Interception. Again, that's on 512 snaps.

For comparison, Blake Martinez played 1,024 snaps on defense last year and achieved: 97 solo tackles, 58 assisted tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 QB Hits, 1 Pass Defended, 1 Forced Fumble, and 1 Interception.

Martinez had exactly double Kwiatkoski's snaps. If you assume that Kwiatkoski performs comparably on doubled snaps (which is not anything like a guaranteed assumption, but for the sake of comparison), he was tracking for 112 solo tackles, 40 assisted tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 6 QB Hits, 8 Passes Defended, 2 Forced Fumbles, and 2 Interceptions.

The necessary caveats are that you can't assume a rate like this with 100% confidence (though 512 snaps is not a bad sample) and the Bears defense was better than the Packers' generally. But even with that said, Kwiatkoski still made more "impact plays" (e.g. negative tackles and turnovers) than Martinez on half as many snaps. So it's safe to say that he's the more impactful player.

Bottom Line: I would guess that because he's been a part timer player, Kwiatkoski is going to be in a cheaper price bracket compared to Littleton, Schobert, Martinez, etc. While Littleton would be my first choice due to his man cover skills, Kwiatkoski could be a smart buy if cap constraints or player choices mean they can't land the former. I would guess that 7-8M might get the job done, whereas Littleton might flirt with something close to double that.

Good breakdown at probably one of the most important positions that the Packers will probably hit hard in Free Agency. I think we are going to see Cory Littleton, Martinez and Joe Schobert come off the "Free Agency board" first. Whether its their current teams signing them or cap fat teams really wanting them and being able to overpay for them. The problem with that, is that I think there will be a sizable over payment for all 3 of those guys and all of a sudden a part timer like Kwiatkoski goes from being a $5-6M/year to a $7-9M. But, that might be what it takes to land a decent ILB for the coming season and beyond.
 

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