Green Bay Packers: 5 Free agents to sign before training camp
By Joe Kipp
The Green Bay Packers begin football-related activities in a couple weeks. Here are five free agents they should consider signing before then.
Members of the Green Bay Packers reported to training camp on July 28 but football-related activities won’t begin until Aug. 12 at the very earliest. The Packers will continue to test players and coaches for the coronavirus until they are deemed safe to enter the team facility.
In the meantime, general manager Brian Gutekunst should consider bringing in one or two more key free agents to help bolster the Packers’ roster. Coming off a 13-3 record in his first season as a head coach, Matt LaFleur enters Year 2 of his coaching career with lofty expectations. The Packers’ roster is built to win now, especially coming off a trip to the NFC Championship last January.
But despite making it all the way to the NFC Championship, Green Bay has a few holes that could use some patchwork. Any free agent signed at this particular moment in time is unlikely to have a substantial impact during the 2020 NFL season. That said, it doesn’t mean they can’t be a contributing force to a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
One particular area the Packers lack sufficient depth is offensive tackle. Left tackle David Bakhtiari will lock down Aaron Rodgers’ blind side, while Rick Wagner, a recent addition this past offseason, figures to occupy the right tackle position.
Behind Bakhtiari and Wagner is lackluster depth. Last year’s starting right guard Billy Turner has the capabilities to play as a swing tackle, but he showed last season he’s an average-at-best player. The Packers could also use help at receiver after Devin Funchess opted out of playing this coming season due to the coronavirus.
The Packers won’t begin practices for a while, so it could make sense to sign a free agent before then. Here are five free agents the Packers should consider signing before the start of training camp.