2025 NFL Free Agency

[OldSchool101]

Agree, as usual. All three other North teams jumped headfirst into free agency, every one of them going all in and making a major effort to push themselves ahead of the other three. Gutekunst basically stood pat - adding an above-average corner, and replacing Myers with Banks.

There's no reasonable chance that we can match all those moves in the draft, especially with only 8 picks this year and picking in the #23 slot. Gutekunst may have a trade in mind, but it's not likely a single trade would improve the team as much as free agency improved the rest of the division. He chose to largely ignore the free agent market, so it seems to me that he's putting most of his chips on the hope that a number of the 2nd and 3rd year players take a big step forward in their development.

I don't want to sound pessimistic, because I trust the man to know what he's doing. But the fact that both of the teams who finished ahead of us, as well as the team that finished behind us, all made substantial moves to put themselves ahead of the other three teams (while we basically stood pat), makes me a little nervous.

The Vikings also might/will lose

Cam Robinson
Stephen Gilmore
Shaquille Griffin,
Jerry Tillery,
Dalton Risner,
Brandon Powell,
David Quisenberry,
Dan Feeney
Jihad Ward
Trent Sherfield
Fabian Moreau
Ed Ingram
Johnny Mundt
Nick Mullens
Patrick Jones II
Cam Akers
Cam Bynum
Kamu Kruger-Hill
Daniel Jones
Sam Darnold
Jeremy Flax

LT, LG, RG, LG, RG
Starting QB, backup QB, RB, WR
CB, CB, CB, LB, S , IDL

They signed
RT, C
backup QB,
IDL, iDL, CB, CB

They improved at DL and mostly have lost at every position group. They have spent a league leading $265Mil this offseason and have on contract an unknown quantity at starting QB.
If JJ McCarthy doesn’t work out? they could tank. Everything rides on a 1st year starting QB or going $350Mil+ in spending with a QB who very likely will not match Sam Darnold production. Which means they lose at QB

4,312 yards 102% Passer 35TD 12 INT.
They MUST exceed that to have a chance to offset losses.

What position groups will GB be guaranteed to lose in 2025 over 2024? Let’s take a look at who and their potential impact …

 

[OldSchool101]

The Packers lost to FA:

AJ Dillon
Eric Stokes
Corey Ballentine
Josh Myers
Eric Wilson
Andre Dillard
Tyler Davis
Robert Rochelle
John Fitzpatrick
Ellis Meriweather

RB lost for 2024 season
CB STARTER < average graded
CB Core ST 50%; 8% of D snaps
OC (STARTER < average graded
LB (KEY ROTATIONAL STARTER)
LT played 13 snaps on Off;20% Teams
TE lost for 2024 season
CB who had 2 tackles 1FR on Teams
TE who had 1 rec 2 yards
RB (no 2024 stats)

3 players who had meaningful impact
3 players with minimal impact
4 players with little to ZERO impact

* I have our biggest loss impact in FA as

*Eric Wilson. He played 51% Defensive snaps and 73% Teams and was a well above average LB and great Teams contributor. His services will be missed. However Eric also has 400 combined tackles of wear n tear at 31yrs old this September. Time to look towards the future here

*Eric Stokes was a regular contributor, but ranked poorly in several key categories.
0 PD 0 INT 0 TFL 0 Sacks 0 FF
You almost couldn’t try being that bad So much so, that Our answer was to bring in a projected upgrade in Nate Hobbs.

*Josh Myers. Well I don’t need to do much explaining. While I’ll personally give him “serviceable”, he was a poor investment for a 2nd Round pick. We already have our answer to Myers departure and it’s likely an upgrade with Elgton reducing inside.

 

[AKCheese]

We lost our punter???

 

[OldSchool101]

We lost our punter???

correction took him off the list. I missed they recently signed him a minimal $1mil deal. Might’ve been as much they didn’t want to try a new holder, he’s good there. Whelan has been a relative disappointment imo though, ranking bottom 12 in multiple key categories.

 

[GreenNGold_81]

Tee Higgins re-signed with Cinci. Keenan and/or draft a WR now.

 

[OldSchool101]

Tee Higgins re-signed with Cinci. Keenan and/or draft a WR now.

Interesting. I’d still prefer Drafting one, unless we find a trade partner at WR with someone under a <=$10mil yearly

There’s about a Dozen WR’s who hold a Day1-2 grade this draft. There’s probably 3-4 that fit our team pretty well. I’d also consider working a trade for a known quantity, veteran WR.

 

[Heyjoe4]

Agree, as usual. All three other North teams jumped headfirst into free agency, every one of them going all in and making a major effort to push themselves ahead of the other three. Gutekunst basically stood pat - adding an above-average corner, and replacing Myers with Banks.

There's no reasonable chance that we can match all those moves in the draft, especially with only 8 picks this year and picking in the #23 slot. Gutekunst may have a trade in mind, but it's not likely a single trade would improve the team as much as free agency improved the rest of the division. He chose to largely ignore the free agent market, so it seems to me that he's putting most of his chips on the hope that a number of the 2nd and 3rd year players take a big step forward in their development.

I don't want to sound pessimistic, because I trust the man to know what he's doing. But the fact that both of the teams who finished ahead of us, as well as the team that finished behind us, all made substantial moves to put themselves ahead of the other three teams (while we basically stood pat), makes me a little nervous.

I have to give Gluten credit for not trying to make something out of nothing. There simply wasn't a good alignment with team needs and available free agents, or trades that were prohibitively costly.

Does that mean this isn't the year for a big AND legitimate push for a SB? Not necessarily. GMs and HCs have to do with what is available and not overextend or mortgage the future. Giving Metcalf a 5-year deal at $150 mil would have been a bad idea, so let the Steelers have him. Just an example.

We'll still have plenty to look forward to. And unexpected things happen every season - both good and bad. Nothing wrong with a little luck, and a great draft.......

 

[Heyjoe4]

The bears win every off season and Vikings often too...

There's something fundamentally wrong with the Bears' organization. I have no idea what is is.

As for the Vikes, it's been almost sixty years of....... nothing. There's been a lot of hype, and some really good teams, but they can't pull free from their past.

 

[El Guapo]

It's the Ed Thorpe Trophy curse. Luckily they can't do anything about it because the trophy is in Green Bay.

 

[Sanguine camper]

There's something fundamentally wrong with the Bears' organization. I have no idea what is is.

As for the Vikes, it's been almost sixty years of....... nothing. There's been a lot of hype, and some really good teams, but they can't pull free from their past.

The Bears overpaid an OT from KC that was an absolute turnstile in the SB. While Josh Sweat is a good player, there are plenty of pass rushers in the NFL with his ability. Most weeks, a team's best pass rusher could put him back on his roller skates like the SB game and push him into Caleb Williams lap all game long. I think the Bears got better in their other major offensive line free agent move, but it might not matter much if Thuney is getting pushed around.

 

[Schultz]

Thuney is a very good guard who played average LT (until the SB) due to an injury to the starter. He will be at LG for DA Bears.