Green Bay Packers: Grading the Christian Kirksey, Rick Wagner signings
By Joe Kipp
The Green Bay Packers signed two free agents on Monday in linebacker Christian Kirksey and right tackle Rick Wagner. We grade the signings.
The Green Bay Packers wasted no time acquiring players at the start of NFL free agency. Earlier this week, the team signed free agent linebacker Christian Kirksey and right tackle Rick Wagner to short-term deals. And the team may not be done yet.
With former players agreeing to sign elsewhere – namely Bryan Bulaga, Blake Martinez and Kyler Fackrell – the Packers needed to strike fast. It appears the team never intended to re-sign Bulaga or Martinez, mainly because of their price tags. Bringing in cheaper veterans like Kirksey and Wagner was the smart move based on price. But will it pay off in the long run?
Bulaga signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Los Angeles Chargers, while Martinez signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the New York Giants. Fackrell will join Martinez in New York, as he also signed a one-year deal with the Giants.
Kirksey, who was released by the Cleveland Browns earlier this month, visited Green Bay last Thursday. The team signed him Monday morning to a two-year deal. Meanwhile, Wagner was released by the Lions last week. He, too, signed a two-year deal with the Packers on Monday.
Both Kirksey and Wagner are seasoned veterans who have plenty of experience. Kirksey may not be a special talent, but he was an impact starter for the Browns in both 2016 and 2017. Injuries hampered him the last two seasons, so the Packers will be banking on him bouncing back in a healthy way.
Wagner is another bounce-back candidate. The Packers may have downgraded from Bulaga, but Wagner showed he was a capable starter earlier in his career with the Baltimore Ravens. For whatever reason, things didn’t work out in Detroit. Green Bay will be hoping for a career resurgence from Wagner.
Just as two major holes on the Packers’ roster opened with the departures of Bulaga and Martinez, they were filled quickly with the signings of Kirksey and Wagner. The Packers opted to go the cheaper route, but was it the right choice? We grade the signings.