2018 Free Agency Recap

[HardRightEdge]

The only Gutekunst decision I considered an unqualified winner was putting in the claim on Fuller, a second contract impactful player with a 2 year cap cost of $20 mil in that offer while opening up one of the top picks for another position. Unfortunately, the Bears matched which illustrates the uncertainties of targetting a restricted free agent.

Let's review the FAs who were signed in the offseason:

1) Jimmy Graham

• 31 years old at signing
• 2 year cap cost if retained: $18.6 mil
• 1 year cap cost if released: $13.2 mil

2) Marcedes Lewis

• 34 years old at signing
• 1 year deal @ $2.1 mil
• Evidently signed as Graham's blocking "caddy"

3) Byron Bell

• 29 years old at signing
• 1 year deal @ $1.7 mil

4) Tramon Willimas

• 35 years old at signing
• 2 year cap cost if retained: $10 mil
• 1 year cap cost if released: $4.9 mil

5) Muhammad Wilkerson

• 28 years old at signing
• 1 year deal @ $4.9 mil

6) Devon House

• 28 years old at signing
• 1 year cap cost of $720,000

If Graham and Williams are retained and the others not re-signed, the 2 year cap cost of these players is $38.0 mil.

If Graham and Williams are released, the 1 year cap cost of these players is $27.5 mil. which assumes none are on the roster next season.

There's a cautionary tale here. If you think you're a handful of vets away from legitimate contention now and you're proved wrong, there's a considerable price to be payed. A repeat of "hurry up, Rodgers isn't getting any younger" is not likely to yield much better results.

Or is the object just to get to the playoffs else the natives grow restless? Well, they're restless now anyway.

 

[Cheese Headed Monster]

I tried to find a silver lining in this post. Of those 6 signings I tried to force myself to feel good about one of them. I cannot.

 

[PackAttack12]

I tried to find a silver lining in this post. Of those 6 signings I tried to force myself to feel good about one of them. I cannot.

Graham will be an asset moving forward. Some can laugh if they wish, but I really believe that. I also believe that he was more valuable than maybe what the numbers suggest. Another off season to get in rhythm with Rodgers, and hopefully a fresh offensive approach will bring some added production from him.

Mo was a really good signing, unfortunately he got hurt and we could never really see the impact he could have made.

Some also underestimate the effect of having Tramon in the locker room mentoring our young DBs.

I don't think Gute really swung and missed on anything that's overly impactful to the future cap situation of the Packers. Sometimes you swing and miss, but the ramifications of his free agent signings will have no negative impact on the Packers moving forward.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I tried to find a silver lining in this post. Of those 6 signings I tried to force myself to feel good about one of them. I cannot.

For the money, and given the circumstances. Bell was not a back pickup. That is cold comfort, a phrase I find myself using a lot these days.

 

[HardRightEdge]

...but the ramifications of his free agent signings will have no negative impact on the Packers moving forward.

Any time you get considerably less than what you paid for, there is certainly a negative impact moving forward in the equation that says cap not spent is carried over.

 

[Dantés]

Graham is the only serious mistep here as I see it. The others collectively didn't make a huge impact, but also collectively carry close to zero cap implications for 2019. Williams, Wilkerson, and Bell all returned value relative to their price (Wilkerson before getting hurt), and House's deal is close to negligible (what, about .4% of the cap for his deal?).

 

[PackAttack12]

Any time you get considerably less than what you paid for, there is certainly a negative impact moving forward in the equation that says cap not spent is carried over.

Agreed, I just don't see that being the case.

The only way I think it would be the case is with Graham. And I just really think that he's going to play a much larger role next season. If he doesn't, then I'll obviously be wrong.

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Graham put up disappointing numbers but with the way his contract is structured I expect him to be back next season. Williams performed at a decent level but in my opinion the Packers slightly overpaid to sign him. I don't have any issues with Gutekunst signing any of the others players to reasonable one year contracts. On the other side he didn't hit on any of the free agents last offseason either.