2025 NFL Free Agency

[Dantés]

Where do you think the Packers need to invest with veteran talent? Who do you have your eye on?

 

[Dantés]

I think the Packers need a vertical wide receiver who can step in immediately. Watson won't be in that role for at least half the season and he might not be effective for any of it.

Darius Slayton of the Giants is the clearest option. I would guess he gets some kind of markup on the Gabe Davis deal (3/39). D.J. Chark could be a budget option if he's healthy.

At defensive tackle, assuming the Packers let Slaton walk, they need to replace about 425 snaps at the 1T/NT spot. I could see signing a guy and drafting another in the middle rounds because Clark isn't really that player anymore.

B.J. Hill of Cincinnati is probably the most brand-name option out there, but I'm more intrigued by a couple of LA products: Bobby Brown III (Rams) and Teair Tart (Chargers). If the Packers were inclined to trade Devonte Wyatt, one of the best FA options this year regardless of position would be Milton Williams from Philly.

At defensive end, this draft class seems rich so I probably wouldn't wade into the market unless it was for a serious difference-maker or for a guy who brings a skill-set they don't current have (i.e. a skilled high-side rusher).

The difference-maker would be Khalil Mack (LAC). The speed rushers that I like are Baron Browning (ARI) and Azeez Ojulari (NYG).

The spot that needs immediate help more than any other is undoubtedly cornerback. I don't think the top guys on the market warrant a big contract, so I'm inclined to take multiple swings on tier 2 options or maybe make one solid signing and then one budget signing.

The guys I like in this FA class are Byron Murphy (MIN), Paulson Adebo (NO), Kristian Fulton (LAC), and Nate Hobbs (LV).

So that's...

WR:
-D. Slayton, NYG
-D. Chark, LAC

DT:
-B. Hill, CIN
-B. Brown, LAR
-T. Tart, LAC

DE:
-K. Mack, LAC
-B. Browning, ARI
-A. Ojulari, NYG

CB:
-B. Murphy, MIN
-P. Adebo, NO
-K. Fulton, LAC
-N. Hobbs, LV

Funny that there's a Charger at every spot.

 

[tynimiller]

I would add edge Malcolm Koonce set to hit FA from Oakland. His 2023 was SPECIAL and had injury not stolen his 2024 he'd be a massive FA target I suspect. He still might make bank but he could make a perfect candidate for a solid one year deal where he knows he can play into another BIG deal in a prove it post-injury year.

CB - I still think Brandon Stephens could be a redemption target that wouldn't cost much - LOTS of starting experience and a SOLID 2023 and a bad 2024.

 

[tynimiller]

I have to bring up one of my favorite second tier CBs as well that I've mentioned before in other threads.

Charvarius Ward was phenomenal in 2022 and 2023, 2024 was bumpier (as it was for the whole Niner team) but Ward was dealing with much bigger life issues this season as well when he had the sudden and tragic loss of his daughter Amani Joy (she was almost two years old). He's had to go home to a house empty as the mom couldn't stay due to the tragedy and won't come back he said in an interview at the end of the season. He and her need a fresh start elsewhere...and in truth where else but GB is there a better NFL landing spot for a calmer, quieter area to get your mind right than Wisconsin lol. Seriously though, he's under 30 at 28 years old, good size, good athleticism and has proven fully capable of playing high level ball still.

 

[tynimiller]

Roughly speaking played with some scenarios...just for sake of visualizing.

Using spotrac's opinion of value normally but bumping as they tend to be low on some....


Sign Back McManus to essentially ballpark of 3/18M - hit around $5M year one.
Sign Back TJ Slaton to essentially a 2/10M deal - hit around $4.5M year one
Sign Back Dillon initially to similar deal as last year (that vet thingy) - hit around $1.5M
Sign Back UFA Eric Wilson one year - 2/4.5M - hit around $2M year one
Bring Back ERFA Arron Mosby one year min - $1.2M
Bring Back ERFA Zayne Anderson one year - $1.2M
Bring Back ERFA Emanuel Wilson one year - $1.2M
Bring Back ERFA Daniel Whelan one year - $1.2M
Bring Back ERFA Bo Melton one year - $1.2M
Bring Back ERFA Kadeem Telfort one year - $1.2M
Bring Back RFA John Fitzpatrick one year - $1.1M

Sign UFA Darius Slayton to a 3/44M deal - first year hit likely in the 7-10M range (used 8.5 for exercise)
Sign free agent Khalil Mack to like a 2/50M - keep first year hit around 20M max (use void years).
Sign UFA K'Lavon Chaisson to a 2/7.5M deal - first year hit around $3.2M
Sign UFA Paulson Adebo to a 3/33M deal - first year hit around $8.3M

This would leave about $7.8M

Cut Jaire and you have $13.3M more than enough for draft class....if Ball structures contracts differently you likely could make that be closer to $20M, easily enough to cover draft class and in season needs.

Chaisson finally looked more like an actual NFL edge guy this year...he's that third tier gamble type piece, and you go into the draft hopefully finding an edge...signing TJ Slaton back removes the worry of having to draft or sign one and Slayton shores up the WR room, while Adebo is a potential answer at CB and you hope growth in Valentine, Nixon, King and a rookie drafted can enhance that room. Also always that second waive of FAs might give you another CB option to try.

You could also add on a trade of Doubs for picks, saves the team about $2.5Million and sign a guy like DJ Chark for likely less or that at most on a one year deal.

 

[Dantés]

I also ran through a Spotrac scenario.

Cut/trade Alexander, Doubs, and Enagbare.

Re-sign McManus for 3/15, Wilson on the minimum, and the ERFA's.

Sign Mack for 3/63, Adams for 3/57, Kristian Fulton for 4/36, and a minimum flier on Caleb Farley.

Leaves the Packers for 13.7M in space for the draft picks and in-season spending.

 

[Dantés]

One of the takeaways from the SB yesterday is how the Eagles found value on the free agent market.

They picked up Gardner-Johnson for 9M AAV

Mekhi Becton at guard for 2.75M

Zach Baun at linebacker for 3.5M

Some of the best values on the market will probably end up being roster cuts, but I thought it would be interesting to look at the pending UFA's and predict who could be a value.

Here are some shots in the dark for me (I'll leave Brandon Stephens and Malcolm Koonce on the board for Tyni):

-Terrace Marshall Jr, WR, Raiders: Marshall is a really high end athlete who got drafted by the Panthers, played for them for three years, and spent 2024 with the Raiders. His production has been very modest, but he's still just 24 years old and he's been in some of the worst offensive ecosystems in the NFL.

-Dan Moore, OL, Steelers: Moore has been a mediocre starting offensive lineman over the course of his rookie contract at tackle, but he has the build to move inside and I could see a team doing that and getting a plus starter.

-Payton Turner, DE, Saints: Athletically, Turner is a rare, rare dude. He never quite panned out for the Saints, but the way that Dennis Allen asks his ends to play is somewhat unique. I wonder if he might be able to unlock more of his potential in a more traditional defensive front.

-Bobby Brown, DT, Rams: Brown is another freak, but he actually broke out for the Rams this last year, at least as a run defender. At 24 yo, I think there's a lot more potential to unlock with him.

-Asante Samuel Jr, CB, Chargers: Samuel had a pretty solid start to his career, but fizzled out under Minter in 2024.

 

[tynimiller]

I forgot how much I loved Payton. I’d roll that dice for sure honestly. The others make a lot of sense, did Moore have center experience in college? I might be thinking of the wrong guy